Originally Posted by
Nubian
Would bet on the wind generated from the blast, and not falling rocks. The machine has moved off the platform (aft it seems) and I can only imagine the amount of flapping those blades would do being exposed to such wind force. The blades does not seem to have any other damage than them being snapped.
Exactly - the aircraft was parked on the wooden pallet and neither flying nor running. Just sitting there, and damaged and dislodged by the blast wave.
Incidentally, one report says the pilot/guide and his 4 pax were among the less-injured evacuees, presumably because they (and the helo) were at the foot of the cwm near the sea and boat docks, while the eruption came from the upper end (lake area).