TAIPEI, Jan 2, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Taiwan’s top military chief was killed
in a helicopter crash on Thursday, the defence ministry said, just days
before the island goes to polls to elect a new president.
The chief of the general staff, Shen Yi-ming, was among eight senior
officers — including three major generals — who died when their Black Hawk
helicopter smashed into mountains near Taipei.
The 62-year-old general and his entourage were on a routine mission to
visit soldiers in northeast Yilan county when the incident happened.
“Five have survived while the other eight of our colleagues on board were
killed. We are deeply saddened … and give our condolences to their
families,” Air Force Commander Hsiung Hou-chi told reporters.
President Tsai Ing-wen’s office announced that she will cancel all
campaign activities for three days after the tragedy.
“As commander-in-chief President Tsai and the cabinet team will focus on
the rescue operations as well as clarifying the cause of the incident,” it
said in a statement.