President Tsai Ing-wen has called two soldiers killed in a helicopter crash on Thursday “heroes”.
Army Major Chien Jen-chuan and Captain Kao Chia-lung died on Thursday afternoon when their OH-58D helicopter crashed at a military base in Hsinchu. They had been taking part in the annual Han Kuang military exercises, and were returning to base from a mission at the time.
Tsai met with relatives of the deceased at a military hospital in Hsinchu Friday morning. She offered her condolences and said that the two soldiers had been heroes.
She said that they were flying above a residential area when they realized their helicopter had a problem. Rather than make an emergency landing on top of houses and risk the lives of those below to save themselves, they banked away so that they would crash elsewhere.
Tsai promised that the government will do its utmost to ensure the families of the deceased are looked after. She called on the defense ministry to conduct a detailed inquiry into the crash. She also called on Taiwan’s people to continue supporting the military.