Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Aviation authorities and local police started mopping up procedures on Monday (July 6) at the spot where a private helicopter crashed a day before, killing its pilot and motel chain owner Archimedes “Archie” King and injuring six other passengers.
The helicopter itself — an Augusta 109E type — was a total wreck.
Investigators will go over the wreckage, which lies near the grotto of Mount Maculot, in Baranay Pinagkaisahan in Cuenca, Batangas.
Mount Maculot — a two-and-half-hour drive from Metro Manila — is a popular destination for hikers and religious pilgrims. The grotto is just about 700 meters from the foot of the mountain.
Survivors blamed bad weather for the crash, according to Senior Insp. Joel Laraya, chief of the Cuenca Municipal Station.
He said the survivors recounted how foggy it was so that they could see nothing as the helicopter went down.
Down at the barangay, some residents told Laraya that they saw the helicopter as it plunged to the ground.
But the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said the investigation would also check whether there was mechanical failure or human error behind the crash.
Eric Apolonio, CAAP spokesperson, questioned why the chopper, which was being operated by Malate Tourist Development Corp., was allowed to go through with the flight despite the bad weather brought by Tropical Storm Egay.
The chopper came from Puerto Galera in Mindoro Oriental and was headed for Manila when it crashed.
On being alerted by residents, Cuenca officers, along with members of the Air Force and the Red Cross, rushed to site.
They saw what looked to them like a big piece of crumpled paper.
The pilot, Capt. Felicisimo Taborlupa, apparently died on impact.
The survivors were taken to Martin Marasigan Hospital — where the 62-year-old businessman King died.
Those who survived are his wife Marie Angeles, niicknamed (Ling-Ling); entrepreneur Ricco Ocampo and wife Tina Maristela Ocampo, a former model; Christopher Chilip, president of Dunlop Tires, and wife Patricia Echauz Chilip, president of Standard Insurance; and Anton San Diego, edictor-in-chief of Philippine Tatler.
They were later transferred to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
The families of Taborlupa and King claimed their remains and had them transferred to Heritage Chapels and Crematory, which is also in Taguig.
Based on their initial investigation, Laraya said King was on the front seat, beside the pilot, when the chopper crashed.
Related: Motel chain owner, pilot killed in chopper crash in Batangas
