Helicopter sightseeing tours suspended after Bell-505 crash

After the Bell-505 plane crash in Ha Long Bay, the Northern Helicopter Corporation has temporarily suspended all helicopter sightseeing tours .

Responding to VTC News , Mr. Dinh Viet Thang, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said that the Vietnam Helicopter Corporation (Army Corps 18) has temporarily suspended sightseeing tours by helicopter, immediately after the Bell-505 helicopter crash in Ha Long Bay on April 5, killing 5 people.

In addition to Ha Long Bay tours, helicopter sightseeing tours in Da Nang, Dien Bien, Mai Chau (Hoa Binh), Mu Cang Chai golden season ( Yen Bai ), Vung Tau - Con Dao are also temporarily suspended pending further notice.

Helicopter sightseeing tours are suspended until further notice. (Illustration photo)

Helicopter tours to Ha Long Bay are offered by travel agencies at 3 basic prices according to flight time and seat positions. The lowest price is 1.9 million VND/person for 3 back seats, 10-minute flight time and 2.2 million VND/person for a seat next to the pilot. The itinerary for a 10-minute flight includes departure from Tuan Chau helicopter parking lot - Thien Cung Cave - Dinh Huong Islet - Ga Choi Islet - Van Boi Islet - Titop Island - Chan Voi Islet and then returning to the parking lot.

Next, there is a 15-minute flight schedule departing from Tuan Chau helicopter landing site - Thien Cung Cave - Hon Trong Mai - Hang Sung Sot - Titop Island - Sun Wheel - Bai Chay Bridge - Lighthouse - Bai Chay Beach - Reu Island with a price of 3.2 million VND/person for a seat next to the pilot and 2.9 million VND/person for the 3 seats behind.

Finally, the 30-minute helicopter tour to see Ha Long Bay has the highest price of up to 6.1 million VND/person for a seat next to the pilot and 5.8 million VND/person for 3 seats in the back.

According to travel companies, the above prices include VAT and passenger insurance up to 30 million USD/incident.

As reported by VTC News, on April 5, the Bell-505 helicopter, number VN-8650 of the Northern Helicopter Company, piloted by Colonel Chu Quang Minh, carrying 4 Vietnamese tourists to see Ha Long Bay, took off at 4:56 p.m. and lost contact at 5:15 p.m.

As soon as the aircraft lost signal, the Northern Helicopter Company (under the Vietnam Helicopter Corporation, Corps 18) coordinated with the Border Guard and local military forces to urgently search and rescue. At 19:18, the forces at the scene recovered 2 bodies and some debris suspected to be from the aircraft at the shore, coordinates 20 degrees 51 minutes 51.2 seconds north latitude - 107 degrees 01 minutes 13.4 degrees east longitude.

The identities of the five victims include: Mr. Chu Quang Minh (born in 1964), pilot; Mr. Ho Ta Luc (born in 1964), residing in Da Nang City; Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoi (born in 1963), residing in Da Nang City; Ms. Ho Thi Oanh (born in 1962), residing in Da Nang City; Ms. Pham Thi Be (born in 1958), residing in Da Nang City.

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