DAILY LOBO new mexico
wednesday April 16, 2014
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895
UNMH crash requires further investigation by Chloe Henson
assistant-news@dailylobo.com @ChloeHenson5 The PHI Air Medical helicopter that crashed on the roof of UNM Hospital last week has been removed, but authorities have not yet identified the cause of the crash. Brad Deutser, a spokesperson for PHI Air Medical, said the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have taken over the investigation about the cause of the incident. He said he thinks they are still early in the investigation. “This is on their timetable, so it’s really hard to know when the findings will be released,” he said. The NTSB and the FAA did not respond to the Daily Lobo’s calls by press time. The PHI helicopter crashed into the roof of UNMH Wednesday during its attempt to take off after dropping off a patient. There were three people inside the helicopter. The pilot was treated for injuries at the hospital and has since been released. No one else was injured in the incident. Deutser said this has been the first accident involving PHI in more than three years. He said PHI would try to learn from what happened at UNMH in order to prevent a similar accident in the future. “We evaluate, all the time, ways that we can ensure that we’re the safest that we can be,” he said. “Every opportunity to learn and advance our protocols, we do.” The pilot flying the helicopter had been with PHI for 10 years, Deutser. He said the nurse on board had been with the company
William Aranda / Daily Lobo Removal crews on Saturday morning work to remove a disabled PHI Air Medical helicopter, which crashed on the roof of the University of New Mexico Hospital Wednesday afternoon. The pilot suffered minor injuries, and the two passengers were not seriously hurt. No patients or staff of the hospital were injured during the incident. for nine years, and the medic on been investigating, but they were Deutser said the FAA and the extraordinarily thorough.” board had worked with them for no longer at the hospital. NTSB had protocols for investigating Deutser said PHI will continthree years. Arnold said this is the first heli- incidents such as these. ue to work with UNMH after the UNMH spokesman John Arnold copter crash since UNMH got the “The NTSB and the FAA have incident. said clinical services were uninter- helipad in 2007. very definite protocols of what they “We have every expectation to rupted during the removal of the “Since that helipad has been do and how they do it,” he said. continue to serve and to continue helicopter. He said that as far as he there, we’ve never had an incident “It’s their process and protocols, to help the people in the commuknew, the FAA and the NTSB had like this,” he said. and so we just follow, but it’s nity,” he said. “It’s what we do.”
Shuttle involved in accident Festival displays
diverse cultures by Zachary Pavlik
news@dailylobo.com @zachpavlik
Frida Salazar / Daily Lobo
The UNM courtesy shuttle that goes from George Pearl Hall to Mesa del Sol was involved in an accident with a black Audi car on Yale street and Coal on Tuesday. Lyle Burns, the driver of this route, took the license plate number of the car, which fled the scene, and made sure the five students he was taking were okay. James Grafeman, field supervisor of Bus Services for Parking & Transportation Services, arrived to the scene to check on the damage to the shuttle and to take the students to Mesa del Sol. The Albuquerque police arrived at 4 p.m. to gather evidence and to clear the scene. There were no reported injuries.
Inside the
Daily Lobo volume 118
issue 135
On a midnight train to China
Help for veterans
see Page 4
see Page 6
Over 20 nationalities will gather Thursday to give UNM an international flare. Annette Mares-Duran and Mavel Marina, both advisers in UNM’s Global Education Office, are the two masterminds behind this year’s International Festival, an annual event that has been going on for over 30 years. Mares-Duran said the festival urges students to get lost in the rich diversity at the University, and the GEO is trying to have as many nationalities as possible be represented at the event. She said about 25 nationalities have already signed up for the event. “It’s a celebration of culture and diversity and UNM,” Mares-Duran said. “It’s a time for people to come together and learn about each other. A lot of times, students don’t have a chance to study abroad, so here, they can meet people from other countries. We’re also hoping
that at this event, students will get interested in studying abroad.” Mares-Duran said they have been working on the event since January. “The best part about working with the festival is that students get so passionate about showing their culture,” Mares-Duran said. “So, really, they guide the whole process. It’s what they want the festival to be. We set some parameters, such as that there can be food, information and crafts, and then the students sign up.” Pavlina Peskova, a graduate student in the linguistics department, will be one of the participants in the event. She said the International Festival is a unique event at UNM because it allows students to see the diversity on campus. Peskova said students are exposed to different races and nationalities during their time at the University, but they often don’t appreciate how truly diverse the campus is.
see Festival PAGE 3
TODAY
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