Navy grounds helicopter fleet over air mishap

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy has temporarily grounded its fleet of five Agusta Westland 109 (AW109) helicopters following an air accident in Lal-lo, Cagayan that injured a pilot and three others last week.

The incident occurred at around 2 a.m. on Sept. 26 as the helicopter was trying to touch down, according to Navy public affairs office chief Commodore Benjo Negranza.

The aircraft that figured in the accident is undergoing assessment and is part of an ongoing investigation to determine the cause of the accident, Negranza said.

“These actions are geared at shedding light on the incident and to prevent a future occurrence. International experts from Agusta are assisting in the investigation,” he added.