PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Cambodian authorities on Monday pledged to investigate a helicopter crash that killed the country's powerful top policeman, amid conflicting reports about the doomed craft's last moments.
Chief of police Hok Lundy died along with deputy army commander Sok Sa Em and two pilots on Sunday evening when their chopper went down in bad weather shortly after taking off from Phnom Penh airport.
"There will be an immediate investigation of the cause of the crash," government spokesman Khieu Kanharith told AFP, without providing further details.
Ministry of interior spokesman Khieu Sopheak said that "in general, the crash was caused by bad weather" but there were witness reports that the tail of the helicopter may have hit something on its way down and caught fire.
"According to eyewitnesses, there was a fire on the tail of the helicopter before the crash, but this is not the official reason for the crash," Khieu Sopheak said.
Hok Lundy had been a close associate of Prime Minister Hun Sen for nearly three decades, and one of his daughters is married to one of the premier's sons.
Born in 1950 and a former governor of southeastern Svay Rieng province, where the crash occurred, Hok Lundy was appointed national police chief in 1994.
He was routinely criticised by international organisations for alleged human rights abuses and corruption within his force, and last year Human Rights Watch said Hok Lundy "represents the absolute worst that Cambodia has to offer."
The police chief was accused of involvement in drug trafficking and politically motivated killings, including a 1997 grenade attack against anti-government demonstrators that killed at least 19 people and wounded more than 120 others.
However, he was also praised by US officials for cooperation in counter-terrorism.
Human rights groups protested a decision to allow him a visa to the United States last year for counter-terrorism talks with the FBI.
The State Department had refused him a visa in 2006 due to allegations he was involved in trafficking prostitutes.
Before leaving for his trip last year, Hok Lundy said the allegations against him were cooked up by his political opponents.
"The US government thinks that I am a good law enforcement leader," he told local media.
Chief of police Hok Lundy died along with deputy army commander Sok Sa Em and two pilots on Sunday evening when their chopper went down in bad weather shortly after taking off from Phnom Penh airport.
"There will be an immediate investigation of the cause of the crash," government spokesman Khieu Kanharith told AFP, without providing further details.
Ministry of interior spokesman Khieu Sopheak said that "in general, the crash was caused by bad weather" but there were witness reports that the tail of the helicopter may have hit something on its way down and caught fire.
"According to eyewitnesses, there was a fire on the tail of the helicopter before the crash, but this is not the official reason for the crash," Khieu Sopheak said.
Hok Lundy had been a close associate of Prime Minister Hun Sen for nearly three decades, and one of his daughters is married to one of the premier's sons.
Born in 1950 and a former governor of southeastern Svay Rieng province, where the crash occurred, Hok Lundy was appointed national police chief in 1994.
He was routinely criticised by international organisations for alleged human rights abuses and corruption within his force, and last year Human Rights Watch said Hok Lundy "represents the absolute worst that Cambodia has to offer."
The police chief was accused of involvement in drug trafficking and politically motivated killings, including a 1997 grenade attack against anti-government demonstrators that killed at least 19 people and wounded more than 120 others.
However, he was also praised by US officials for cooperation in counter-terrorism.
Human rights groups protested a decision to allow him a visa to the United States last year for counter-terrorism talks with the FBI.
The State Department had refused him a visa in 2006 due to allegations he was involved in trafficking prostitutes.
Before leaving for his trip last year, Hok Lundy said the allegations against him were cooked up by his political opponents.
"The US government thinks that I am a good law enforcement leader," he told local media.
ahahahah! this is life...happened
ReplyDeleteDon't waste public money on the investigation. Ah Hok Lundy is just a damn motherfucker Yuon, less than excrement.
ReplyDeleteThis is from Touch Naroth: 80% is oppositions sponsored accident, 15% is politically motivated accident, and the other 5% is pilot error and the weather – inexperienced pilots, too much rain.
ReplyDeleteone gone , few to go , who next ?
ReplyDeleteThe last second of this guy's life, he heard the voices from no where which believed to Ho Sok, Chea Vichea and Piseth Pilika:"one more to go".
ReplyDeleteGod bless Cambodia. It is time for clear the curruption.
ReplyDeleteTHEY ARE SAYING THEY WILL ARREST SOME OPPOSITION MEMBERS FOR SHOOTING DOWN THE CHOPPER.
ReplyDeleteYea Sam Rainsy took a rock and throw it on the chopper and it crashed.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of morons the CPP are.
If someone did take down someone big as hok ludy, it worth it. lol Sam Rainsy properly launch his flaming candle on the chopper....
ReplyDelete1. They were all probably drunk.
ReplyDelete2. The wife of HLD may have sabotage because of the DJ Ano affair.
3. The ligthening (very dangerous in Cambodia)
What FBI do in Cambodia? According to statement in paragraph ,I think FBI may not allow Hok Lundy to get away from his wrongdoing spelling from corruption, tororrism, childtrafficking and others. Who will be next? The answer may already been found and it is on the FBI list.
ReplyDeleteKhmer Long Beach
Reading through all posts and comments about the death of Hok Lundy giving different impression of life.
ReplyDeleteNormally, Khmer people will be sad to hear the death of their beloved one or a respectful leader. However, many people who put their comments on this KI's posts feel the opposite. 99% commentators expressed their feeling of hatred to this top ranking police commander. Therefore, it is a question of values of the government officers in Cambodia and what do Cambodian people perceive them?
It is time to ask, what does it mean to be civil servants?
i will not celebrate the death of HOK LUNDI.I will celebrate big time when TRAITOR sihanouk die.
ReplyDeleteto be civil servants is either you pretend to for 20/30usd/month or either you profit of your position to enrich yourself. Period.
ReplyDeleteThere is no value and no where to go for Cambodia as long as Vietnam still control it as nowadays.
There is no benefits for the neighboring countries to see Cambodia be a nice and real democratic country.
Ah touch narot, ah chhkae yuon, ah khuor yuon, ah kanh cheas yuon, ahaeng khom sraek tam peak ah khiev kanharith ning ah khiev sopheak dael sot tae chea pak puok ah khnhom kanh cheas yuon os aeng doembey chang aoy ah police rok meul ah na dael sak som ning chab mok dak kuk teat doch born sam nang ning sok sam oeun dae reu yang mech, ah phleu kbal yuon touch narot.
ReplyDeleteI despise the majority of people writing on the blog. You all claim Hok Lundy was a bad person, taking lives of many innocent Cambodians. It probably is true, but that does not justify how big of pricks you guys are by jeering and mocking at his death. The man is fucking dead for crying out loud. Have some sympathy for his family. If you don't feel the need to send condolences with your thoughts, then just keep quiet.
ReplyDeleteWe all know the saying. If you don't have anything nice to say, then shut the fuck up you inconsiderate motherfuckers.
I hate him just as much as you do, but he's dead. A dead man is a dead person. Death is not something worthy of celebration, regardless of the people involved.
4.46PM,
ReplyDeleteYou are sick to look down on scores of victims ah Hok had caused. If you have any pity for his family, jsut shut the stinky mouth up. By showing sympathy for him and his equally violent wife, you are no different. Did anyone in the CPP pray and send condolences to Chea Vichea, Kim Sambo, Pilika, Toch sunic, marina, and so on ?
A few evils die, is one step to peace on earth. Can you see teh world is a bit better without Pol Pot, hitler, Ho chi Minh, Ta Mok, ?
You are in need of help so bad, if you don't see this.
Peacemaker
4:46: why you say it probably true? of course IT IS TRUE!
ReplyDeleteWe all see as it is an act of destiny and fate that making us hoping for better tommorrows. Because khmer people are too weak and coward (success of brainwashing by Hun Sen) to fight against that kind of shit people, their real last hope is to wait and see events happen like that.
despise the majority of people writing on the blog. You all claim Hok Lundy was a bad person, taking lives of many innocent Cambodians. It is 100% true following from the order of ah Hun Sen, and is very happy for all khmers to see ah murderer named Hok Lun dy is dead.
ReplyDeleteThe next turn will be ah Hun Sen, criminal aganist humanity in Cambodia.
I hate him for his deeds, and he is worth to be dead. His death is a great happiness for Khmer people. Death is something worthy of celebration in case of a a dead of criminal against humanity like him, ah Hok Lun dy and will be also ah Hun Sen.
4:46: yes, me also, i am like you: i pity Hitler, Staline, Pol Pot, Mao Tse Toung, Klaus Barbie, etc. i feel very sorry that (and when) they died, so Hok Lundy now. What a pity...i mourn their families...
ReplyDeleteNot sure that Hok Lundy's family is sad...unfortunatly, but yes i pity also all the girl fucked by HLD and who will not be able to survive, because no powerful dick to suck , so no more money...
មី ប៊ុន រ៉ានីកំពុងយំបោកខ្លួនស្តាយហុក ឡងឌី ងាប់តៃហោង ព្រោះហុក ឡងឌី ជាសហាយ របស់មី ប៊ុន រ៉ានី (ប្រពន្ធហ៊ុន សែន) ជាង ១០ឆ្នាំមកហើយ!!
ReplyDelete4:46: I will pity a man who rob and kill you when he die naturally.
ReplyDelete4:46: to be honest, i sorta agree with 4:07. i mean, the man did die. isnt that enough? i read a post that went something along the lines of, 'yay! i am cambodian! he is dead. i want to put the shit on ah hoks face and make it in to the sad face so the dog can come and put his ach on a hoks face!'
ReplyDeleteeven with his lack in grammar, we understand where the person who wrote this post is coming from.
but really, does it have to go that far?
i know the world is better off without this guy, but that doesnt mean i should openly display my happiness. "Death is not something worthy of celebration, regardless of the people involved." i like this.
Don't need to investigate. I can tell you right away: he's a psychopath who slaughtered many people and the most current likely cause is his abuse of DJ Ano. Trust me, don't trust someone like FBI. Note: FBI's deep meaning is Fake Bureau of Investigation.
ReplyDeleteHere for something for you all to curious about. And don't let these fool CPPs fool you all.
ReplyDelete“If you’re in the air, and you get struck my lightning, the equipment that is in use at the time can receive what’s called an over-voltage,” Mayhew says. “It makes everything go a lot quicker, and the instruments will shut down because you’ve had an extra charge of electricity. And if the aircraft is struck mid-flight, the charge has nowhere else to go—it stays in the aircraft frame.” In that case, the chopper would discharge as soon as it touches the ground, so presumably all Sayid would have to do is reset the circuit breaker to get the instruments up and running, and it’s rescue time. “There may be occasions where some of the equipment will be damaged—basically burned out—if the protection circuit didn’t work,” Mayhew says. But that would mean the safety equipment failed.)
Khmer USA,
Are you people convinced that Hok Lundy is dead
ReplyDeleteWho ever wants to spend money ($)to investigate Ah low life Hok Lundy's death is dumb-ass.
ReplyDeleteNo hell ,waste our tax dollars for the animal
ReplyDelete6:05
ReplyDeleteI'm right behind ya! Another day to celebrate. Dumb ass idiot like 4:46 is siding with a dead murderer and disregards the life of his victims. Go fuck yourself you piece of shit! You dumb fuck! Oooops, sorry.... I don't have anything nice to say.
Let's be civilized, short and sweet about this - May you animal Hok Lundy (or whatever your real name is) be rotten in hell!
ReplyDelete