All ten people aboard a military helicopter that crashed in a rural area of northwestern Colombia on Tuesday were killed, the army’s commander said.
Para nosotros es muy doloroso confirmar en este momento, que los 10 ocupantes de la aeronave fallecieron. Todo nuestro apoyo en este difícil momento a sus familiares y amigos. Con la Gloria sobre el Horizonte y la fe puesta en Dios, ¡Paz en sus tumbas!. pic.twitter.com/L0ex7qWx8U
— General Luis Mauricio Ospina Gutiérrez (@COMANDANTE_EJC) January 16, 2018
Colombian army commander Major General Ricardo Gómez Nieto tweeted the news just two hours after Colombia’s air force tweeted that helicopters were conducting search and rescue operations in the Segovia area in the country’s north.
#ATENCIÓN Helicópteros de la @FuerzaAereaCol se encuentran realizando la búsqueda y rescate de la tripulación de helicóptero #MI17 @COL_EJERCITO en el municipio de Segovia, Antioquia. pic.twitter.com/gIyx2Udf0A
— Fuerza Aérea Colombiana (@FuerzaAereaCol) January 16, 2018
The incident occurred near the village of Cuturú, El Espectador reported. The aircraft was carrying military and civilian personnel between Caucasia and Segovia, NTN24 reported.
A military statement said two civilians aboard the aircraft were part of a military aviation fuel maintenance team.
The ministry of defense tweeted that an investigation had begun into the crash of the Russian-made Mi-17 – tail number EJC 3380.
Profunda tristeza por accidente del helicóptero EJC 3380 @COL_EJERCITO. Toda mi solidaridad con las familias de las víctimas. Nuestras tropas están en el área adelantando labores de recuperación de la tripulación y pasajeros. Iniciadas investigaciones para determinar la causa.
— Mindefensa (@mindefensa) January 16, 2018
In June 2016, a military helicopter crash killed 17 soldiers in an accident attributed to bad weather.
[This story is developing]With reporting by AFP
