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All people aboard the crashed emergency care SMURD helicopter have died, President-elect, PM, MAI voice deep regret
Arafat: The helicopter was not equipped for intervention flights in the maritime area
Secretary of State with the Interior Ministry (MAI), Raed Arafat confirmed journalists that the emergency care SMURD helicopter that crashed into Siutghiol lake near the Black Sea coast Monday afternoon was not equipped for performing intervention flights in the maritime area. Dr. Raed Arafat said on Tuesday in Constanta (southeast Romania), that the action taken in response to the SMURD helicopter crash was in accordance with the procedures. All four people aboard the emergency care helicopter have died. Raed Arafat said that the National Single Emergency Service received the first call through the 112 emergency system at 4.11 p.m. and at 4.25 p.m. the first units arrived at the scene. Later, at 4.40 p.m., doctor Laura Vizireanu was found. Dr. Arafat admitted that the first victim recovered from the water, doctor Laura Vizireanu, was found and brought to shore by two fishermen, but he added that while she was transported by boat, the victim was permanently assisted and resuscitated by a paramedic. ”Action was taken as fast as possible, the data will be centralized, an analysis will be conducted to determine if the responsibilities were properly fulfilled,” Raed Arafat said.
Nicusor Constantinescu: Raed Arafat changed the role of helicopter
The President of Constanta County Council, Nicusor Constantinescu, said yesterday that several pieces of equipment, including the helicopter that crashed into the Siutghiol Lake had been purchased in the framework of a Romania-Bulgaria programme, but its purpose and optional features had been changes while he was suspended as head of the County Council. ‘This helicopter performed 180 hours of intervention flights, as its purpose is not just to transport patients, it was also supposed to be used for flying over the territory of Constanta, Dobrici, Black Sea and the lake, this is why I told you that it had a special role. The role was unfortunately changed while I was in the US, in November this year. By whom? By Mr. Raed Arafat who took it over, changed the purpose of the contract and the tragedy you saw yesterday happened’, Nicusor Constantinescu said.
N. Constantinescu noted the helicopter used to be quipped with float undercarriage allowing it to float, which it did not have when the accident occurred, it had a backup engine in case the first one stops, and a cable hoist to rescue people using the harness. ‘I know that yesterday the Constanta Port Master’s Office was unfortunately not alerted to intervene with high speed boats. Did you know there was a Jupiter boat on the lake, at 500 m distance from the crash point? Why wasn’t it activated? I cannot activate anything because of the Court decision, although I am the Vice-President of the Emergency Committee, I may not contact the employees of the County Council or county councillors. I am just the president in office. I notified the prefect and the institutions I could alert’, Constantinescu said.
He added that, a year ago, he refused to approve the change of role for the helicopter, aware of the ‘criminal ramifications’ such thing would have had, but the role of the equipment was changed anyway while he was suspended. ‘I publicly refused last year to give this helicopter to the Ministry of Interior, to Mr. Arafat, without someone taking responsibility for altering its role. I cannot change it because Arafat says so. I said to him: <Mr. Secretary of State, you can sign if you wish, you can cancel the contract, you take responsibility in front of the public, obtain the approval of the European Union and you may have it>, for I am not mad to pay for its maintenance, pilots, doctors from the little money the County Council has. I did not agree to that abusive request. Ask Mr. Arafat where the float undercarriage is’, Constantinescu further said.The Bucharest Military Prosecutor’s Office has opened a criminal case investigating into the circumstances of the crash of the SMURD helicopter with four people onboard into the Siutghiol Lake in Constanta County on Monday.
Gabriel Oprea dismisses ISU Dobrogea head and asks that Constanta prefect be replaced
Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea has dismissed the head of the Dobrogea Emergency Rescue Inspectorate, Viorel Jianu, and asked PM Victor Ponta to replace Constanta Prefect Radu Volcinschi following the aviation accident that occurred in the county on Monday.