According to Maj. Gen. Gabriel Viray III, commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, the Black Hawk helicopter landed Friday afternoon due to severe weather conditions while it was en route to Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, and Cotabato City.
Viray noted that the helicopter faced “heavy rain and rapidly decreasing visibility.”
A video of the incident on social media shows the chopper flying low above a school building and its rotor blade hitting the branches of a nearby tree.
“As a precautionary measure, and to ensure the safety of all on board, the pilot made the decision to land at the nearest safe location, which was the Tukuran campus,” Viray explained.
The helicopter carried military officials who just attended the inauguration of the Panguil Bay Bridge led by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.
Viray acknowledged that the unexpected landing caused concern among the students and faculty on campus, but he assured that no injuries were reported.
“The decision to drop off passengers at Tukuran was made with the highest priority on safety before the helicopter continued its journey to Cotabato,” he added.
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