Grenade explosion cause of Rangoon Junta Tin Oo's helicopter
Source : Democratic Voice of Burma(MAR 01)
DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma] has learned that the helicopter crash that killed Lt Gen Tin Oo, secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council [SPDC], was not because of bad weather or mechanical failure but due to shooting on board the helicopter. There were 29 people on board including Lt Gen Tin Oo, Brig Gen Lun Maung, Minister of Prime Minister's Office; and Maj Gen Thura Thiha Thura Sit Maung, commander of Southeast Military Command. Cpl Htein Lin Aung [changing name from "Htein Win Maung" to "Htein Lin Aung] and Cpl Thein Tun were from the support troop. The helicopter departed Moulmein for Pa-an to inspect the Pa-an bridge construction works. Military officers in charge of the weather from the No 22 Light Infantry Division [LID] and Southeast Military Command reported that the weather was fine and suitable for a helicopter landing. It was known that the weather report received during the flight also confirmed that the weather was fine.
When the helicopter reached Tayokhla Village near the Salween River, Cpl Htein Lin Aung, who came along as a support trooper, attempted to shoot SPDC Secretary-2 Lt Gen Tin Oo with the gun that he was carrying, while Cpl Thein Tun, attempted to shoot Police Director Maj Soe Naing. Furthermore, it was learned that Cpl Thein Tun tried to blow up the helicopter with a hand grenade. Then, Maj Aung Phone Naing [changing name from "Aung Phone Maung" to "Aung Phone Naing"], personal assistant to SPDC Secretary-2 Lt Gen Tin Oo, Commander Maj Gen Thura Thiha Thura Sit Maung, and his personal assistant Maj Khin Maung Kyaw began shooting Cpls Htein Lin Aung and Thein Tun with their service pistols.
According to confirmed sources, in the ensuing shootout Cpl Htein Lin Aung was shot in the head and died instantly while Commander Maj Gen Sit Maung was wounded.
During the commotion on the helicopter, the grenade in Cpl Thein Tun's hand exploded and the helicopter became unmanageable and crashed into the Salween River. The LID 22 immediately sent a rescue mission. The rescue mission first found the bodies of Lt Gen Tin Oo and his personal assistant Maj Aung Phone Naing and then sent the 14 injured to Pa-an hospital. In the same afternoon, they found the body of Cpl Htein Lin Aung with a gunshot wound in his head. The LID 22 reported to Rangoon War Office that Cpl Htein Lin Aung died of a gunshot wound and not because of the helicopter crash. The Military Intelligence [MI] immediately came to Tayokhla Village and opened a base camp to search for the bodies. They also transferred the 14 wounded military officers from Pa-an hospital to Rangoon.
The pieces of the helicopter wreckage were also sent to the LID 22 sports ground. Officials from LID 22 were ordered not to let anyone into the sports ground except the MI personnel. The MI also threatened the Pa-an hospital staff not to tell anything to anyone about the wounded from the helicopter crash. Maj Aung Zaw Tun was the only one among the survivors that was unscathed.
According to sources DVB has learned that a total of 11 bodies were recovered--Lt Gen Tin Oo, his personal assistant Maj Aung Phone Naing, Prime Minister's Office Minister Brig Gen Lun Maung, Col Win Hlaing [changing name from "Win Naing" to "Win Hlaing"], assistant director from the armored battalion, Maj Khin Maung Kyaw, personal assistant to Maj Gen Sit Maung, Police Director Maj Soe Naing, Assistant Police Director Capt Ne Min Aung [changing name from "Ne Lin Aung" to "Ne Min Aung"], Lt Col Hla Paing from the Office of the Defense Services Commander in Chief, Cpls Htein Lin Aung and Thein Tun, and another support trooper Cpl Kyaw Swe.
The bodies of Commander Maj. Gen. Sit Maung, Col Tin Win, Col Kyaw Tin Hla, and Maj Aung Maw Thet are still missing. According to confirmed sources, DVB has also learned that the War Office in Rangoon has issued an order to all military command commanders, tactical commanders, and battalion commanders that if they want to appoint any personal assistant or support staff they must first obtain a confirmation from the Directorate of Defense Services Intelligence after filling in their full particulars in the personal forms.
[Description of Source: Oslo Democratic Voice of Burma in Burmese -- anti-government radio run by the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma]