19 confirmed dead as helicopter crash site found

By Li Xinran  |   2008-6-10  |     ONLINE EDITION

ALL people aboard a crashed helicopter were confirmed dead after the wreckage was found in Sichuan Province today, Xinhua news agency reported.

Rescuers discovered the wreckage at about 6:40am in bushes about 7 kilometers from Yingxiu Town in Wenchuan County, the epicenter of the May 12 earthquake that flattened parts of the province.

President Hu Jintao has expressed condolences to victims' families.

Thirteen corpses were found at the crash site, which was about 2,800 meters above sea level, the report said.

The bodies will be carried on stretchers from the mountainous terrain and eventually transported to Chengdu, Sichuan's capital, for cremation.

Helicopters reportedly couldn't access the crash site.

The Russian-designed Mi-171 transport was transporting 14 injured earthquake victims at the time of the crash.

The helicopter was camouflaged and difficult to spot amongst the dense bush and trees of the mountainous area, the report said.

The helicopter's command pilot, Qiu Guanghua, was scheduled to retire from the People's Liberation Army in several months. Qiu was an ethnic Qiang. He was selected to be one of first minority pilots in 1974 by late Premier Zhou Enlai. Qiu was one of the People's Liberation Army's most experienced helicopter pilots, China Radio International reported.