(AP) A police helicopter spun out of control during a mock river rescue and crashed into the water Wednesday in southern Taiwan, leaving the co-pilot in a coma and four other crew members injured.

One of the engines of the French-made helicopter seemed to have lost power, and the helicopter could not pull up steadily after it dropped briefly into the water, pilot Wang Chi-chiang told reporters.

Investigators said the helicopter was made seven years ago and cost more than $4 million, but they would not give details of the pilots' flying experience.

The helicopter was lowering a policeman over a river in Tainan county when the aircraft tilted and dipped into the water.

When the chopper took off again, it began spinning in place about 10 yards above the river. Seconds later, the aircraft plunged sideways into the water and fragments of its blades flew off in different directions.

Co-pilot Lin Rong-ta was in a coma, and the four other crew members were injured but in stable condition, doctors said.

Tainan is about 124 miles south of the capital, Taipei.

Premier Tang Fei, Taiwan's No. 3 ranking leader, said the accident highlighted Taiwan's need to improve its rescue operations. The government was criticized after rescue workers failed to save four workers from a flash flood in July.

"Today's accident shows that we need to improve our equipment and training in all aspects," Tang told reporters.

The government has been eager to show that it is improving its emergency services since July's bungled river rescue, but some training courses have had embarrassing results.

Last month, rescue workers were testing pistols designed to shoot flame signals or rope in the air, but none of the pistols worked.

In another exercise covered live on television, a cameraman was thrown into a river when two police dingy boats collided.

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-- Doris (reaper1@mindspring.com), September 07, 2000