The fourth of the five victims has been located inside the crashed helicopter in the water of Tra Bau Bay in Hai Phong’s Cat Ba District, local media have reported.
| A photo of the Bell-505 helicopter model that crashed into the sea on April 5. Photo: tructhanhvinhhalong.com |
The rescue team is seeking the best way to take the body out of the helicopter. Searching activity will continue to find the last victim.
At around 9am on April 6, the third victim was found and taken out of the water. The victim, presumably the pilot, was found attached to his seat with the belt still fastened.
With broken pieces of the helicopter being found nearby, the helicopter is reported to have burst and exploded before crashing into the sea.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on April 6 requested relevant ministries, State agencies, and the authorities of Quang Ninh Province and Haiphong City to facilitate the best conditions for rescue activities to find and rescue the victims as soon as possible.
PM Chinh also asked Government agencies to visit and provide the necessary support for the victims' families and proceed with beneficial policies for the pilot as regulated.
The ministries of National Defense and Public Security are held accountable for investigating the crash, strictly dealing with any violations, and reviewing flying procedures to avoid similar events.
Fishermen and fishing boats in the crash area are requested to work with responsible agencies and support the rescue mission.
On April 5, a helicopter took off at nearly 5pm to take four passengers on a sight-seeing sky tour in Ha Long Bay. After around 20 minutes, the control center lost its connection with the pilot.
Five victims include 59-year-old pilot Chu Quang Minh and four Vietnamese passengers from the central coastal city of Da Nang.
The helicopter, coded as Bell-505, is the asset of the state-owned Northern Vietnam Helicopter Company.
Bodies of the first two victims were found at 7.18pm on April 5 along with presumably broken pieces of the helicopter floating on the water.
More than 600 persons from different units have partaken in the rescue mission, including the local border guards of Quang Ninh and Haiphong, the Vietnam People’s Navy, and the Vietnam Coast Guard.
