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3 soldiers killed in chopper crash in Sulu


(Update 1:30 p.m.) Three soldiers were killed when a Philippine Air Force helicopter crashed in the southern Philippine island province of Sulu on Saturday, authorities said. PAF spokesman Lt. Col. Mico Okol told GMA News Online that the incident happened on Mount Sinumaan in Patikul, Sulu at about 8:30 a.m. An initial investigation showed that before the crash, the pilot of the PAF's UH-1H helicopter was attempting a "precautionary landing" at Camp Baladad at Sitio Tubig Magtuh at Barangay Panglayahan due to "loss of power" while in the air. All the people on board were killed except for the co-pilot. Okol said the relatives of the fatalities and the lone survivor have to be informed first before their names would be released to the public. The Philippine National Police later identified the fatatlities as Capt. Omar Antepuesto, Staff Sgt. Maximo Orquina and Airman First Class Rannie Solis. The wounded co-pilot was identiied as 1st Lt. Junius Zulueta. Members of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 11 are already securing the crash site as of this posting. Additional aircraft, carrying investigators, have already been deployed to the area to probe the incident. — Mark Merueñas/LBG, GMA News
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