Officials: Guatemalan helicopter crash kills 10
Feb 29, 2012, 1:35 AM
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – A civilian helicopter crashed in bad weather Tuesday, injuring three aboard, and a Guatemalan air force helicopter sent to help went down soon afterward, killing its 10 crew and passengers, officials said.
The helicopter involved in the fatal crash was on its way to a base in the northern province of Peten when it got word of the crash of a civilian helicopter about 125 miles (200 kilometers) away, Defense Minister Ulises Anzueto told reporters.
The crew on the air force aircraft determined the three civilians in the crash had been evacuated to a hospital and the helicopter was headed back to Peten when it crashed.
Seven officers and three air force specialists were killed, including the pilot and co-pilot.
Peten Gov. Henry Amezquita told The Associated Press that there was bad weather in the mountainous area where the military helicopter crashed.
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