Three persons, including a prominent businessman, were killed when the private helicopter they were riding in crashed into a fishpond in Malolos City, Bulacan Thursday.
Police Col. Bernard Banac, spokesman of the Philippine National Police, identified the victims as helicopter pilot Everette Coronel, businessman and the owner of the helicopter Liberato Laus, 64, and his bodyguard Wilfran Esteban.
Laus was the founder and chairman of LausGroup of Companies, a diversified conglomerate of automotive dealership based in San Fernando City, Pampanga considered as the largest multi-brand network in the country and was involved in various significant socio-civic activities in the province over the years.
Banac said the pilot and the businessman died on the spot. Esteban sustained serious injuries and was taken to the Bulacan Medical Center in Malolos where the victim expired.
The helicopter with registry number RPC8098 came from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport General Hangar and was bound for San Fernando City, Pampanga when it crashed in Barangay Anilao at past noon.
The crash totally wrecked the helicopter and was half-submerged in the fishpond.
Local police immediately responded and recovered the three victims. They searched for more possible victims but they later learned that the chopper had only three persons on board – two passengers and the pilot.
Police are now coordinating with proper authorities for the investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has launched an investigation on the incident.
CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said the helicopter was owned and operated by LGC Air Transport.
CAAP Director General Capt. Jim Sydiongco has dispatched the Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board headed by chief investigator Rainier Baculinao to investigate the crash. (Aaron Recuenco, Ariel Fernandez, and Freddie G. Velez)
