Philippines says its police officer among US plane crash victims

Manila: A Filipino police officer was among the people killed in a mid-air crash in Washington between a US commercial jet and a military helicopter, Philippine police said Friday.

The Wednesday night disaster caused both aircraft to tumble into the icy Potomac River, killing 67 passengers and crew.

“The Philippine National Police mourns the tragic loss of Police Colonel Pergentino N. Malabed, Chief of the Supply Management Division, who was among those on board the American Airlines flight that collided mid-air with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport,” an official statement said.

Manila was notified that a body carrying Malabed’s passport was recovered from the Potomac, police spokesman Colonel Randulf Tuano told reporters.

Malabed’s widow is set to fly to the United States to formally identify and claim the remains, Tuano added.

Malabed and two other officers had flown to the United States to test personnel vests that the Philippine police planned to purchase.

Malabed then headed onwards alone intending “to pay a courtesy call” to the police attache of the Philippine embassy in Washington.