CHP to present motion for parliament to research deadly helicopter crash in Turkey’s Şırnak

ŞIRNAK

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The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) will present a motion for parliament to research the cause of the deadly May 31 helicopter crash in the southeastern province of Şırnak, which killed 13 soldiers.

“As the CHP, we will submit our demand for a parliamentary research next week. This accident needs to be analyzed and no one should have any question marks left,” CHP Malatya deputy Veli Ağbaba said, quoted in state-run Anadolu Agency.

Ağbaba made the comments on June 3 in the eastern province of Malatya during a press conference organized at the CHP provincial headquarters. 

Thirteen soldiers were killed when a helicopter crashed in the Şenoba district of the southeastern province of Şırnak late on May 31.

“The division commander and the public security commander were both important and qualified commanders, and were victims of an accident in the same helicopter As the CHP we’ll ask for this to be researched … If it was an accident, it should be researched why this happened. If it wasn’t accident, there are suspicions in people’s minds that should be clarified,” Ağbaba added. 

The General Staff said in a statement that the AS 532 Cougar-type helicopter got tangled in a high-voltage power line shortly after taking off from the Şenoba Brigade Commandship at around 8:55 p.m., according to preliminary information.

The helicopter reportedly crashed after reaching an elevation of 300 meters before the ammunition on board exploded after a fire broke out.

Witnesses said they initially heard a loud explosion and so they went to the scene, where they saw exploding ammunition.