9 die in Philippines helicopter crash
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-04-29 12:49

A military helicopter crashed into a wooded ravine on a northern Philippine mountain Thursday, killing all nine people on board, officials said.

The U.S.-made UH-1H air force helicopter was en route for an aerial inspection of a northeastern province that was ravaged last year by landslides and flash floods when it went down in the vicinity of Mount Maligaya, about 60 miles northeast of Manila, air force spokesman Lt. Col. Restituto Padilla said.

He said the helicopter crashed into trees on a steep ravine and burst into flames.

The cause of the crash was not immediately established.

Delfin Garcia of the Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology said the passengers included four of its staff and a former director of the institute and Red Cross official, Raymundo Punongbayan. The air force said two pilots and two crew members were also aboard.