Taiwan is mourning Chief of General Staff Gen. Shen Yi-ming and seven other members of the armed forces killed during the emergency landing of a Blackhawk UH-60M helicopter Jan. 2 in northern Taiwan.
This is a day of great grief and sorrow for the whole country, President Tsai Ing-wen said during a special briefing at a military facility later the same day in Yilan County. All assistance and resources will be provided to care for the wounded and help those who lost loved ones, she added.
Tsai, who extended her condolences to the families and friends of the deceased as commander in chief of the armed forces, said the tragedy underscores the selfless service and great sacrifice of Taiwan’s men and women in uniform. Service members deserve the full gratitude and respect of the people, she added.
According to Tsai, she ordered the country’s military facilities to fly the national flag at half-staff until Jan. 4. In addition, the Ministry of National Defense will fast-track investigation of the incident while ensuring the morale of personnel remains unaffected as they continue carrying out normal operational duties, she said.
The Blackhawk dropped off MND radar screens at 8:07 a.m., around 17 minutes after liftoff from Songshan Air Force Base in Taipei City. Carrying 13 passengers on a pre-Lunar New Year inspection visit to Yilan in northeastern Taiwan, the helicopter was located soon after in the mountainous Wulai District of New Taipei City. (SFC-E)
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