KPress Vol. 07 Iss. 22
Jaynes, Bill (2007-10-03). KPress Vol. 07 Iss. 22 (PDF) (Report). Kolonia, Pohnpei: Kaselehlie Press.
- Has attachment: File:L46R7GL8.pdf
Abstract: KPress Vol. 07 Iss. 22: NEWS: September 28 is remembered by Pohnpei emergency crews as one of the worst days for accidents in recent memory; on Friday, September 28, emergency teams responded to an initial accident in Nett in which a large tree fell across a roadway onto a passing vehicle, breaking the driver’s legs and knocking out two nearby power poles in the vicinity of Moylan’s Insurance building; shortly after arriving at that scene, emergency crews received another call reporting that a helicopter had crashed into the retaining wall of Club Flamingo in Nett; the helicopter, owned by the Australian company Tropic Helicopters, was severely damaged, and the survival of those on board was described as miraculous; eyewitness accounts indicate that a security guard at the bar heard what sounded like an explosion, ran upstairs to secure the building, and found fire and emergency vehicles already on the scene upon arrival, with the sound later attributed to the helicopter’s pontoons rupturing rather than a fuel explosion; Pohnpei International Airport, which maintains the island’s only fire trucks capable of handling an aircraft-related explosion, was notified as part of the emergency response. OPINION / EDITORIAL: A letter authored and signed by Pohnpei State Legislature Speaker Nelson N. Pelep on September 21 outlines six reasons urging Governor Johnny P. David not to sign the supply contract or asset purchase agreement negotiated between the FSM Fuel Task Force and Mobil; according to the letter, the six reasons emerged from a leadership meeting held on Monday, September 17, and were tied to assurances the Legislature believed were required prior to approval, assurances that Yap State had also requested; among the concerns cited by Speaker Pelep is potential antitrust liability, referencing a 2006 ruling in which Pohnpei was held liable for treble damages.
