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

ANKARA

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) presented on June 5 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.

The Turkish General Staff previously 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.

Signed by CHP group deputy chairs Engin Altay, Özgür Özel, and Levent Gök, the motion questioned why there was no obstacle identification system in the helicopter” and why the pilot did not level off before reaching a safe altitude. 

The motion also pointed out that the Defense Ministry put out a tender for some 172 helicopters to be equipped with an obstacle identification system back in 2010. Although seven years have passed, the tender has still not been completed. 

According to the motion, some experts believe that the main cause of the deadly crash was the lack of an obstacle identification and alarm system on the helicopter, worth about $35,000. If the helicopter was equipped with this mechanism, the pilots would have been warned about the existence of a power line beforehand, it added.