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The bodies of the victims were transported to the shore last night. (Photo: Nhan Dan Newspaper) |
Accordingly, the body of the third victim of the accident is Colonel – pilot Chu Quang Minh. He was found in the water bordering Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City, and transported to Tuan Chau Island in Ha Long City.
Hundreds of people and tens of ships under the control of the military, border guards, police, fishermen are still searching for the remaining two missing people in the water bordering Lan Ha Bay (Hai Phong City) and Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh Province).
Last night, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang signed formal dispatch No.221/CD-TTg related to the accident of helicopter Bell 505 (No.VN-8650) of the Northern Helicopter Co. (the 18th Army Corps) in the seawater bordering Gia Luan Commune (Cat Hai District of Hai Phong City). The dispatch, sent to the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, the Ministers of National Defense, Public Security, Transport, the Chairmen of the People’s Committees of Hai Phong City and Quang Ninh Province, directs:
1. The Ministry of National Defense cooperate with the Public Security Ministry and related state agencies as well as the local authorities to exploit all possible means and forces for the search and rescue mission, to offer condolences to families of the victims, to carry out corresponding policies for injured of dead servicemen as stipulated, to investigate the cause of the accident and deliver punishment for violation (if any), to review all procedures for flight command to ensure technical safety for future flights.
2. The National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response and Search and Rescue timely assign human resources and vehicles within its power to seek the victims according to proposals of the local authorities and ask for directions from the Prime Minister for any matters out of its power.
3. The Chairmen of the People’s Committees of Hai Phong City and Quang Ninh Province actively cooperate with the National Defense Ministry to urgently search and rescue the victims and timely offer condolences to the families of the victims, while notifying fishermen near the accident site to follow the directions of the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response and Search and Rescue.
4. The Transport Ministry assign suitable vehicles, salvage and rescue equipment and necessary devices as requested by the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response and Search and Rescue to fulfill the search mission as soon as possible, while working with the National Defense Ministry to ensure flight safety and aviation engineering.
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Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Duc, Director of the Department of Information and Education (the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army) informed that yesterday afternoon, helicopter Bell-505, controlled by Colonel – pilot Chu Quang Minh, carried four Vietnamese tourists for a sightseeing tour of Ha Long Bay from above. It took off at 16:56 p.m. and lost contact at 17:15 p.m.
Immediately after the contact loss, Northern Helicopter Co. collaborated with the Border Guards and local military forces to urgently seek victims.
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The location of the accident |
At 19:18 p.m., two dead bodies were found, along with certain debris suspected to be from the plane at the edge of the shore, at the coordinate of 20 degrees 51 minutes 51 seconds North latitude - 107 degrees 1 minute 13 seconds East longitude.
Colonel Nguyen Dinh Hung, Head of Search and Rescue Team (under the Command of the Border Guards) stated that the Border Guards of both Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City are urgently using 9 motorboats, 34 guards to perform the seeking task.
 The search and rescue team is mobilizing vesels to search for the victims (Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper) |
The site of the helicopter crash is about 8 nautical miles north of Cat Ba Island (Hai Phong City) in the territory of Quang Ninh Province. This is the sleeping area of several luxurious yachts harbored in Lan Ha Bay, Hai Phong City, and Quang Ninh Province.
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Helicopter No.VN-8650 of Vietnam Helicopter Corporation (VNH). (Documentary photos) |
In 2019, Northern Helicopter Co. launched its service of Ha Long Bay sightseeing from above via helicopter Bell-505. Helicopters stay at the Tuan Chau International Report of Ha Long City to serve tourists, with no fixed schedule and flight notice in advance.
