Condolences conveyed by allies and like-minded partners following the deaths of Gen. Shen Yi-ming, chief of the general staff, and seven other service members during the emergency landing of a Blackhawk UH-60M helicopter in northern Taiwan are deeply appreciated by the government and people, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jan. 3.
The messages—sent by governments, lawmakers and multisector organizations from 40 countries and territories—have helped the people weather this time of great sadness and take comfort in the concern and friendship shown by the international community, the MOFA said.
The allies are Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Kingdom of Eswatini, Nicaragua, Paraguay, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, while the like-minded partners are Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, the EU, Fiji, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Kuwait, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Peru, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, the U.K., the U.S. and Venezuela.
According to the Ministry of National Defense, the Blackhawk dropped off MND radar screens Jan. 2 at 8:07 a.m., around 17 minutes after liftoff from Songshan Air Force Base in Taipei City.
Carrying 13 passengers on a pre-Lunar New Year inspection of military facilities in northeastern Taiwan’s Yilan County, the helicopter was located soon after in the mountainous Wulai District of New Taipei City. (SFC-E)
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