AIR Force spokesman Colonel Antonio Francisco on Tuesday said the seven remaining Polish-made Sokol helicopters have been grounded a day after the crash that injured the pilots and other military and police personnel including a police general recently in Palawan.
But he said investigation over the crash incident was still ongoing and the real cause of the engine failure has yet to be determined.
Francisco said the pilots and crew have been transferred to the PAF hospital for further medical treatment and observation.
“All the Sokol were grounded as of the moment a day after the incident. I was not given feedback yet about the ongoing probe,” he said.
Among the injured in the crash was Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor. The crash happened days before the November 10 ASEAB Chiefs of Justice Conference held in Puerto Princesa City. The officers were on board the chopper conducting aerial inspection as part of the preparations for the series of conferences when it crash-landed in the middle of a rice field.
In 2014, one of the choppers crashed shortly after takeoff inside a military camp in Marawi City. Then commander of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division and now Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Ricardo Visaya was among survivors from that crash.
Meanwhile, Fancisco said the grounding of the Sokols has little effect to the airlift capability of PAF as there are other choppers available for use.