Strong winds may have downed Cambodia chopper: Defense Minister

14 July 2014
Radio Free Asia
Airports and air travel / Government / Infrastructure / Ministries and other national bodies / Ministry of National Defense / Transport and shipping / Transport and shipping policy and administration / Transport infrastructure and facilities
Beijing / Calmette hospital / Chinese aid / Ministry of National Defense / Tea Banh

Generals and two other air force officers, according to the country’s defense minister, who said strong winds may have led to the tragedy. Minister of Defense Tea Banh said that the cause of the crash into a pond about six miles (10 kilometers) south of Phnom Penh had yet to be determined, but confirmed that the helicopter was a Chinese-made Z-9 model recently purchased from Beijing. The crashed craft was part of a fleet of 12 Z-9 helicopters Phnom Penh bought from Beijing in November with a U.S. $195 million loan from China, the Southeast Asian nation’s closest ally. …

 Joshua Lipes
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/helicopter-07142014174542.html