CARACAS.- The president of GuyanaIrfaan Ali, confirmed this Thursday that five of the seven people who were on board a military helicopter that disappeared in Essequibo, near the border with Venezueladied after they crashed 48 kilometers east of their destination.
“My heart suffers and drowns with sadness at the tragic loss of some of our best men in uniform. The magnitude of this loss for the families, our country, the Army and for me personally is immeasurable,” he said in a message on his profile. Facebook official.
A special Army unit arrived at the accident site this Thursday around 2:30 p.m. (local time) and managed to recover the bodies of the passengers who were inside the helicopter, certifying that only two people were alive.
Guyana begins investigation
“The next phase of the operation includes the extraction of the area, followed by the initiation of an investigation into the incident. The Guyana Defense Forces will provide further information as necessary,” the Army said in a statement.
The military helicopter was reported missing – with four passengers and three crew members on board – on Wednesday in the disputed Essequibo, a territory that Venezuela claims as its own, when it was heading from the Ayanganna base towards Arau.
Guyana authorities previously warned that the search and rescue operation was complicated due to “adverse” weather conditions in the area.
Source: EUROPA PRESS
