US to investigate death of Filipino paratrooper in Balikatan exercises

Lt. Gen. John Toolan, center, U.S. Commander of U.S. Marine forces in the Pacific, chats with Vice-Admiral Alexander Lopez, right, following the opening ceremony of their annual joint military exercise, dubbed Balikatan 2016 (Shoulder-to-Shoulder), Monday, April 4, 2016 at Camp Aguinaldo, in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines. Toolan said that U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter would fly to the Philippines to witness some of the events of the 11-day exercises, which would see the deployment for the first time of a highly mobile rocket system that has been used in Afghanistan. The annual military drill, involving 5,000 U.S. personnel and 3,500 counterpart from the Philippines, is being conducted amidst tension in the South China Sea. AP/Bullit Marquez

MANILA, Philippines – The United States said it will look into the incident that led to the death of a Philippine Air Force (PAF) paratrooper during the joint Balikatan exercises on Thursday.

"We are working closely with our Filipino counterparts to investigate the incident," the US Embassy said in a statement released on Friday.

The US Embassy also expressed its condolences to the family and friends of the Filipino airman.

READ: Paratrooper dies in Balikatan exercises

"He will be remembered for his great courage and service to his country," the statement read.

The Filipino soldier missed the pre-designated landing zone and drowned in Subic Bay, Balikatan 2016 spokesperson Capt. Celeste Frank Sayson said.

Sayson declined to identify the soldier who was a member of the PAF's 710 Special Operations Wing.

He was among the 20 Filipino paratroopers who jumped from US-owned planes alongside their American counterparts during a joint high-altitude exercise at Subic Airport yesterday.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter is expected to arrive in the country to observe a part of the joint military drills between Filipino and American troopers.

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