Helicopter crash in Puerto Plata leaves three dead
On Tuesday, 21 May 2019, two passengers died and the pilot was seriously injured when a helicopter crashed in Puerto Plata province. The pilot, Army Major Jesus Mendez Cuervo was taken to the Ney Arias Lora burn center in Santo Domingo, but died later at around 5am on Wednesday, 22 May, as reported in a Diario Libre update on the accident.
According to Colonel Enmanuel Souffront, director of investigations for the Civil Aviation Board, the helicopter crashed near Muñoz, at kilometer 7 on the Playa Dorada-Montellano road. The helicopter was five nautical miles west of landing at the Puerto Plata International Airport. The helicopter had taken off from La Isabela International Airport in Santo Domingo and then made a stop in La Vega to pick up passengers.
Souffront and technical specialists are working in the area to determine the cause of the crash. He said the pilot had reported a fire in the engine prior to the crash.
The other two victims are businessmen Juan Heriberto Medrano and Jesus Martin Vargas. Medrano was chief executive of Grupo Medrano in La Vega. The company operates the leading radio and cable TV company. The Medrano group is an important communication company, with operations especially in the Cibao area. Its main brands are Ritmo 96.5 FM, Estrella 90, Canal 105.1 FM, Turbo 98. It also owns Telecable Central based in La Vega. He was son of Cuqui Medrano, who was a senator for La Vega for the PRD. The other deceased is Jesús Martin Vargas, a cable TV businessman San Francisco de Macorís.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
May 26, 2019
UPDATE: Helicopter crashes on first flight by new owner
Executives of the Grupo Medrano say the crashed Bell helicopter was fully equipped and on its inaugural flight. The helicopter had been purchased for the personal use of Medrano. Company director Roberto Rodríguez and family lawyer José Miguel de la Cruz said the helicopter had been purchased from a Haitian businessman in Miami, Florida in March 2019 and since then had undergone customization. The fatal 21 May 2019 flight was the first the owner would take in the helicopter. Medrano would fly to Puerto Plata to close a Telecable Central business deal, as reported.
In the fatal crash, Medrano, Martin Vargas, operations manager of Telecable Central and Army mayor, pilot Jesus Salvador Mendez Cuervo died when it crashed in Muñoz, shortly before landing at the Puerto Plata International Airport. The pilot had reported a fire in the motor. Witnesses say they saw the helicopter in flames in the air.
Rodríguez says they are waiting for a report from the National Commission for Air Accidents.
Source: Listindiario
Category: DR News |