News Story: Philippines, US hold drill on disaster response

Philippine Air Force UH-1 Huey (File Photo)

Hanoi (VNA) – Philippine Air Force on May 15 sent UH-1Ds helicopters to Casiguran town to participate in an exercise simulating response to the area being isolated by a big typhoon.

The exercise was under a joint military drill called Balikatan between the Southeast Asian country and the United States.

The UH-1Ds helicopters (Hueys) conducted aerial reconnaissance to survey the worst-hit regions and secure the nearest landing area for rescue teams, said Major Celeste Frank Sayson of Public Affairs Office of the Armed Force of the Philippines.

The Philippine Navy’s first Strategic Sealift Vessel team, Tarlac, coordinated with the country’s army at Casiguran port to carry supplies to evacuation centres, he added.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

News Story: Three dead, one hurt in Philippine military chopper crash

UH-1D (Image: Wiki Commons)

MANILA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- A Philippine Air Force pilot and two crewmen died and another pilot was injured when their UH-1D helicopter crashed during a military exercise in Tanay town in Rizal, east of Manila on Thursday afternoon.

Lt. Xy-zon Meneses, spokesman of the Army's second Infantry Division, said the aircraft crashed at around 3 p.m. local time in Sitio Hilltop in barangay Sampaloc while preparing to land at a vacant lot.

"This (training) is to ensure that the military is ready for disaster rescue operation... There was a practical exercise today but one chopper got into trouble during landing," said Meneses, adding no civilians were harmed.

Read the full story at Xinhua