Pentagon chief honors Filipino airman who died during Balikatan

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter paid tribute to the Filipino soldier who died at the Balikatan exercises at the closing ceremonies of the US-Philippine joint drills on Friday.

“Marking the successful conclusion of this multifaceted exercise, tragey struck in the early days of Balikatan 2016, the death of a Philippine Airman Second Class Jover Dumansi,” he said in a speech at Camp Aguinaldo.

READ: PAF man dies in parachute jump accident at Balikatan

“I wanna express my condolences on behalf on the men and women of the Department of Defense and all Americans to Airman Dumansi’s family and friends as well as to the Philippine armed forces, government (and) people,” he said.

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Dumansi died in an accident during a proficiency parachute jump in Subic last April 7.

The airman missed his landing after the wind blew him out to sea instead of the designated drop zone.

“This loss is a reminder of the risks that each of you and you families accept each day,” Carter said. IDL