7 Honor Guard Missing After Helicopter Crash in El Hatillo

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Venezuela

World

Fecha de publicación:

5 May 2019

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Investigative teams have been deployed and are combing the scene.

Seven members of Venezuela's honor guard went missing after a military helicopter carrying crew and passengers crashed to the ground in El Hatillo, Venezuela, an official communique reported Saturday.

The Cougar Siglas helicopter was covering the Caracas to San Carlos Cojedes route when the incident occurred.

The official statement read, "At the moment authorities are meeting at the site of the accident, performing the necessary task of finding the crew and the passengers of the helicopter.

"An air investigation team has been called in by the military in order to begin to determine the causes of the accident,” the report said.

Among the missing are pilot Alexis Alejandro Avila Guerrero, Copilot Carlos Eugenio Ramirez Davila; Jacinto Alexander Rengifo Rodriguez, engineer; technicians Tomas Enrique Ortega Valero and Fernando Betancourt Ponte; and passengers Cesar Barreto Galan and Felipe Amaya Villafran.

President Nicolas Maduro tweeted, “Venezuelan people! In the morning hours of today #4May a helicopter of ours was rushed ashore #FANB, losing the life 7 worthy officers of the fatherland. I deeply regret this incident and express my heartfelt condolences to your family and friends.”