Taiwan’s military chief killed in chopper crash

Taiwan’s military chief was killed in a helicopter crash yesterday, the defence ministry said, just days before the island goes to polls to elect a new president.

The chief of the general staff, Shen Yi-ming, was among eight senior officers -- including three major-generals -- who died when their Black Hawk helicopter smashed into mountains near Taipei. The 62-year-old general and his entourage were on a routine mission to visit soldiers in northeast Yilan county for the upcoming Lunar New Year when the incident happened.

Flags at all military units will fly at half-mast for three days as Shen was the highest-ranking military official to die while on official duty. Lieutenant-general Tsao Ching-ping, one of five survivors, told rescuers in footage broadcast on local TV: “I am okay... two others are injured and only I can walk.”

“There is one more person who’s more seriously wounded and two or three people in the cabin ... while two more with no signs of life.” President Tsai Ing-wen’s office said that she will cancel all campaign activities for three days after the tragedy. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party will also suspend campaigning for three days.

There have been a number of incidents involving Black Hawk helicopters -- purchased from the United States -- in recent years in Taiwan. Washington has remained Taipei’s most powerful unofficial ally and its leading arms supplier despite switching diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979.

“We hope that our steadfast commitment to supporting Taiwan’s security will honour their memory,” US de facto embassy, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), said in a statement. “I was privileged to work closely with General Shen in our joint efforts to strengthen the US-Taiwan security relationship.

With his keen insight and good humour, he was a valued leader, colleague and friend. He will be sorely missed,” said AIT director Brent Christensen. The UH-60M helicopter carrying 13 people disappeared from radar less than 15 minutes after taking off, said Air Force Commander Hsiung Hou-chi, adding that the ministry had set up a taskforce to investigate the incident.

“We are investigating whether (the cause) was environmental or mechanical,” he told reporters.