Transfer of 18 victims in copter crash underway

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Source: CCTV.com | 06-12-2008 17:31

Military sources say the transfer of the 18 victims in the crash of a helicopter used in a relief mission is underway. Transporting teams are trying to open up roads in the mountainous area.

Soldiers carring supplies for the rescue team travel on foot to the crash site of a military helicopter, near the epicenter town of Yingxiu, in the quake-hit Sichuan Province, southwest China, on June 11, 2008. The remains of all 18 people who were aboard the copter, including five crew members and 13 civilians injured in the May 12 earthquake, have all been found by Wednesday. Soldiers  traveled to the site to carry out the recovery operation such as carrying the remains and searching for the black box voice recorder. (Xinhua Photo)

Sichuan military quake relief headquarters say the black box voice recorder of the Mi-171 helicopter has been found, providing important clues for the analysis of the crash. The 18 victims, including the five crew members, were all identified Wednesday.

A moment of silence was observed at the scene before the bodies were put into bags.

The crash site is 7.5 kilometers away from Yingxiu Town, in a mountainous area with thick forest, making the operation rather difficult. Some valleys are so dense and steep it's almost impossible for even a single person to pass.

In order to remove the bodies to the foot of the mountain as quickly as possible, more than 100 people arrived at the crash site on Wednesday to clear the scene. More than 300 more people have deployed there to provide more materials for the rescue.

So far more than 1,300 people are participating in the transfer of the bodies, and a temporary helicopter pad might still need to be built. The soldiers are opening up roads to avoid passing some of the over 100-meters steep cliffs.

Editor:Xiong Qu