(Photo: Cambodge Soir Hebdo)09 Nov 2008
By Pen Bona Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French
Hok Lundy, the national police commissioner, died on Sunday 09 November in a helicopter crash. The accident took place in the country south, about 80 km from Phnom Penh.
The two pilots as well as three-star general Sok Sa Em, deputy army chief, all died in the accident at around 07:20 PM in the province of Svay Rieng. “The control tower lost contact with the helicopter 15 minutes after it took off from Phnom Penh,” Khieu Kanharith, minister of Information, declared when he was reached over the phone.
Even though the origin of this accident is still unknown, heavy rains pouring during that time along the south of the kingdom could be the cause of this accident. “Experts immediately left to the spot and the bodies will be sent to Phnom Penh,” Khieu Kanharith added later that evening.
Hok Lundy was one of the government VIPs. The 4-star-general police chief was also close to Prime minister Hun Sen whose son married Hok Lundy’s daughter. The reasons for this helicopter trip on a day Cambodia was celebrating its 55th independence day still remain unknown, and neither was the type of the helicopter involved. To some, the general was returning home, at his birth province. To others, he travelled there for an important meeting.
The two pilots as well as three-star general Sok Sa Em, deputy army chief, all died in the accident at around 07:20 PM in the province of Svay Rieng. “The control tower lost contact with the helicopter 15 minutes after it took off from Phnom Penh,” Khieu Kanharith, minister of Information, declared when he was reached over the phone.
Even though the origin of this accident is still unknown, heavy rains pouring during that time along the south of the kingdom could be the cause of this accident. “Experts immediately left to the spot and the bodies will be sent to Phnom Penh,” Khieu Kanharith added later that evening.
Hok Lundy was one of the government VIPs. The 4-star-general police chief was also close to Prime minister Hun Sen whose son married Hok Lundy’s daughter. The reasons for this helicopter trip on a day Cambodia was celebrating its 55th independence day still remain unknown, and neither was the type of the helicopter involved. To some, the general was returning home, at his birth province. To others, he travelled there for an important meeting.
