BEIJING – Six people are still missing after the crash of a Black Hawkhelicopter near Taiwan’s shore, the Taiwanese Interior Ministry said in astatement.
According to preliminary data, the helicopter crasehd into the sea shortlyafter take-off. Two pilots, a mechanic, a doctor, a patient and anaccompanying person were on board the helicopter at the time of theaccident.
A search and rescue operation is underway. The cause of the incidentremains unknown.
Late on Monday, the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter left Taitung Cityfor Orchid Island in order to provide local residents with medical aid andevacuate those in need of assistance. Communications with the helicopterwere lost while the aircraft was returning to Taiwan.
The United States had supplied Taiwan with multi-purpose Black Hawkhelicopters in accordance with a 2010 contract. The Taiwanese army hashanded over some of those choppers to the Interior Ministry.