Death of two pilots during air show casts a pale of sorrow over the country; FAD will investigate causes
Diario Libre
SANTO DOMINGO. Two pilots from the Dominican Air Force (FAD) perished yesterday afternoon when the aircraft they were flying crashed into the sea as they were participating in an exhibition flight during the Air Show of the Caribbean 2013, a show that was watched by thousands of persons along the Malecon of Santo Domingo.
The death of the pilots, which affected the whole country, cause the organizers to suspend the show that was being presented for the second straight day.
First Lieutenant Rafael Eduardo Astacio, 28, and the Second Lieutenant Carlos Manuel Guerrero, 25, were piloting a T-35 Pillan, FAD 1807, which is an aircraft used as a trainer for FAD pilots. The accident occurred at 2:40 in the afternoon when the plane was flying some 500 meters from the beach, in front of the Agriculture Bank at an altitude of some 500 feet when suddenly the aircraft plunged into the sea.
Rescue efforts
A source who asked not to be identified explained to Diario Libre that when the emergency happened a boat station inside the exhibition area of the acrobatic show, arrived three minutes after the aircraft fell, with Navy, Civil Defense and COE divers on board. There were three helicopters and four fast boats and they began the search for the bodies of the two pilots and the aircraft.
The source explained that the air show had prepared a security operation and emergency response teams in case of an accident, and this was put into action immediately the accident took place.
According to the informant, the first rescue team arrived within the time established by international standards for these cases. Then as a point of reference, helicopters overflew the area with support teams ready at the heliport in front of Metaldom, with search and rescue teams. When the initial search was fruitless, another rescue group was activated in Sans Souci, with a fourth civilian fast boat, which used sophisticated equipment with sensors and the search area was expanded some two hundred meters due to the wave levels.
First contact
According to the report by the source, the divers made the first contact with the fuselage of the aircraft and reported this to the command post which with computerized equipment provided the possible coordinates where the bodies should be and they proceeded to recover them, when it was clost to 4:10 p.m. The source made it clear that the large ship that is seen near to where the plane went into the water, was only marking a reference point, and was not part of the emergency operations.
FAD orders investigation
In a press release sent to the media, the commanding general of the FAD notes that the bodies of the young pilots were taken in helicopters to the Military Teaching Hospital Dr. Ramon de Lara. The note says that the high command of the Air Force "ordered the immediate investigation of the circumstances surrounding the accident in order to determine the cause of the incident."
Saddened by tragedy
The deaths of the two young Air Force pilots has cast a pale of sorrow over the country, and shows of condolences, among these one by President Danilo Medina, who through his Twitter account sent "his most sincere condolences for the families." The President deeply regretted accidents such as this one and called on the people to join him in prayer for the pain of family and friends of the deceased.
Organizers
Yan Vargas, the producer of the Caribbean Air Show, during the press conference announcing the suspension of the show, regretted the tragedy in the name of the producers and sponsors of the event.
"We are in mourning for this situation, of which we still do not have the technical information of what happened and later on the Air Force will provide the details regarding the mistakes, whether they were human or mechanical, in the aircraft which crashed," indicated the producer.
Vargas made it clear that he was very upset by the tragedy and that although in other countries in cases like this they continued with the show, the producers took the decision to suspend it because "you cannot have a party when there is mourning." Later, in a communiqué, the producers indicated that the air show complied with all of the international standards established by the International Council of Airshows for shows of this nature.
The death of the pilots, which affected the whole country, cause the organizers to suspend the show that was being presented for the second straight day.
First Lieutenant Rafael Eduardo Astacio, 28, and the Second Lieutenant Carlos Manuel Guerrero, 25, were piloting a T-35 Pillan, FAD 1807, which is an aircraft used as a trainer for FAD pilots. The accident occurred at 2:40 in the afternoon when the plane was flying some 500 meters from the beach, in front of the Agriculture Bank at an altitude of some 500 feet when suddenly the aircraft plunged into the sea.
Rescue efforts
A source who asked not to be identified explained to Diario Libre that when the emergency happened a boat station inside the exhibition area of the acrobatic show, arrived three minutes after the aircraft fell, with Navy, Civil Defense and COE divers on board. There were three helicopters and four fast boats and they began the search for the bodies of the two pilots and the aircraft.
The source explained that the air show had prepared a security operation and emergency response teams in case of an accident, and this was put into action immediately the accident took place.
According to the informant, the first rescue team arrived within the time established by international standards for these cases. Then as a point of reference, helicopters overflew the area with support teams ready at the heliport in front of Metaldom, with search and rescue teams. When the initial search was fruitless, another rescue group was activated in Sans Souci, with a fourth civilian fast boat, which used sophisticated equipment with sensors and the search area was expanded some two hundred meters due to the wave levels.
First contact
According to the report by the source, the divers made the first contact with the fuselage of the aircraft and reported this to the command post which with computerized equipment provided the possible coordinates where the bodies should be and they proceeded to recover them, when it was clost to 4:10 p.m. The source made it clear that the large ship that is seen near to where the plane went into the water, was only marking a reference point, and was not part of the emergency operations.
FAD orders investigation
In a press release sent to the media, the commanding general of the FAD notes that the bodies of the young pilots were taken in helicopters to the Military Teaching Hospital Dr. Ramon de Lara. The note says that the high command of the Air Force "ordered the immediate investigation of the circumstances surrounding the accident in order to determine the cause of the incident."
Saddened by tragedy
The deaths of the two young Air Force pilots has cast a pale of sorrow over the country, and shows of condolences, among these one by President Danilo Medina, who through his Twitter account sent "his most sincere condolences for the families." The President deeply regretted accidents such as this one and called on the people to join him in prayer for the pain of family and friends of the deceased.
Organizers
Yan Vargas, the producer of the Caribbean Air Show, during the press conference announcing the suspension of the show, regretted the tragedy in the name of the producers and sponsors of the event.
"We are in mourning for this situation, of which we still do not have the technical information of what happened and later on the Air Force will provide the details regarding the mistakes, whether they were human or mechanical, in the aircraft which crashed," indicated the producer.
Vargas made it clear that he was very upset by the tragedy and that although in other countries in cases like this they continued with the show, the producers took the decision to suspend it because "you cannot have a party when there is mourning." Later, in a communiqué, the producers indicated that the air show complied with all of the international standards established by the International Council of Airshows for shows of this nature.
Diario Libre
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