CARACAS, Venezuela — Seventeen Venezuelan soldiers and a civilian were killed when a military helicopter crashed Sunday near the Colombian border, the state news agency reported. A brigadier general was among those who were killed.
Rescue members search bodies inside the wreckage of a "Venezuelan military helicopter crashed while patrolling the border with Colombia killing at least 18 people on May 3, 2009 in the town of El Alto de Rubio near the city of San Cristobal. –AFP Photo/George Castellanos"
Rescue members search bodies inside the wreckage of a "Venezuelan military helicopter crashed while patrolling the border with Colombia killing at least 18 people on May 3, 2009 in the town of El Alto de Rubio near the city of San Cristobal. –AFP Photo/George Castellanos"
President Hugo Chavez said the soldiers were patrolling the 1,400-mile border separating Venezuela and Colombia when the local military base lost contact with their Mi-17 helicopter shortly after midday. The helicopter crashed near the town of El Alto de Rubio, the state-run Bolivarian News Agency reported.
Two pilots and the entire crew were killed.
Army Brig. Gen. Domingo Alberto Feneite and Cristian Velazquez, a civilian, were among the victims, according to the state news agency.
Chavez sent condolences to the families of the victims during his weekly TV and radio program.
"They died while they were on duty and serving the fatherland,” he said.
Neither Chavez nor the Venezuelan military gave the cause of the crash.
Chavez lamented that dozens of Venezuelan soldiers have lost their lives in recent years trying during their duties to prevent violence from Colombia’s decades-long armed conflict from spilling over into Venezuela.
by the associated press
Two pilots and the entire crew were killed.
Army Brig. Gen. Domingo Alberto Feneite and Cristian Velazquez, a civilian, were among the victims, according to the state news agency.
Chavez sent condolences to the families of the victims during his weekly TV and radio program.
"They died while they were on duty and serving the fatherland,” he said.
Neither Chavez nor the Venezuelan military gave the cause of the crash.
Chavez lamented that dozens of Venezuelan soldiers have lost their lives in recent years trying during their duties to prevent violence from Colombia’s decades-long armed conflict from spilling over into Venezuela.
by the associated press
I have read different body counts on this story. Yahoo news says 18 soldiers died, the Sacromento Bee says 16 soldiers and a civilian were killed, France24 states 17 soldiers and one civilian killed. How do the news websites get such different information? I'm sure they all have the same source.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the news sites , goes with the first or second report from the wire .
ReplyDeleteI wait and check for more than one or two reports .
And if I post the story , i will update the story , if it changes .