Taiwan's top military chief was killed in a helicopter crash on Thursday, the defence ministry said, just days before the island goes to polls to elect a new president.
The chief of the general staff, Shen Yi-ming, was among eight senior officers -- including three major generals -- who died when their Black Hawk helicopter smashed into mountains near Taipei.
The 62-year-old general and his entourage were on a routine mission to visit soldiers in northeast Yilan county when the incident happened.
"Five have survived while the other eight of our colleagues on board were killed. We are deeply saddened ... and give our condolences to their families," Air Force Commander Hsiung Hou-chi told reporters.
Survivor Tsao Ching-ping told rescuers in footage broadcast on local TV: "I am okay... two others are injured and only I can walk."
"There is one more person who's more seriously wounded and two or three people in the cabin ... while two more with no signs of life."
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