The helicopter’s tail has already been removed from the bottom of the Douro River. On Tuesday, divers resumed searching for parts of the helicopter that crashed in the Douro River in Lamego, killing five NTC soldiers.
Northern Marine Police commander Rui Silva Lampreia told Lusa that a group of 10 officers were in the river area where the helicopter crashed during the search.
The work involves marine police operatives, four divers, two police officers assigned to Régua and officers from the Central Criminal Investigation Department, as well as two other people assigned to the Port Authority of Douro, Leixões and Viana do Castelo (APDL).
The recovery of the plane’s wreckage was scheduled to be completed on Monday, but Marine Police divers discovered the plane’s tail and its removal from the river bottom will take place on Tuesday.
Rui Silva Lampreia explained on Monday that the rotor is located in the tail section of the plane, a part considered important for the investigation into the causes of the accident that killed five soldiers of the Emergency Protection and Assistance Unit (UEPC) of the GNR on Friday.
Underwater searches continue until 12:00 to find the navigation computer, another piece of equipment – the navigation computer, which is also considered important to the investigation by the General Aviation and Rail Accident Prevention and Investigation Authority (GPIAAF).
The aircraft wreckage is being transported to the GPIAAF research hangar at Viseu airfield.
Boat traffic in the area continues with the restrictions already in place, namely one vessel at a time, low speed and marine police monitoring.
On board at the time of the accident, which occurred in the Samodains area, in the municipality of Lamego (Viseu), were five GNR UEPC personnel and the pilot, the only survivor.
The bodies of four soldiers were found on Friday and a fifth fatality was discovered on Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday, the body responsible for investigating the Douro River firefighting helicopter crash, the GPIAAF, said it had heard from the pilot and witnesses and had completed “the bulk of the field work phase.”
“The GPIAAF intends to publish an information note late next Tuesday explaining the initial findings and the path forward for further investigation,” it said in a statement sent to Lusa on the same day.
The accident helicopter, an AS350 — Écureuil, was operated by HTA Helicópteros based in Loulé, Algarve, and the accident occurred while returning to the Armamar Aircraft Centre.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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