Colombian Navy helicopter crashes en route to patient
A Colombian Navy helicopter crashed around midnight on 5 January, leaving one crew member dead and four injured. The aircraft, named as a Bell 212, had been flying to Guapi in southwest Colombia to collect a marine in need of medical treatment. According to reports, the accident occurred close to Tumaco, and may have been caused by poor weather conditions.
A Colombian Navy helicopter crashed around midnight on 5 January, leaving one crew member dead and four injured. The aircraft, named as a Bell 212, had been flying to Guapi in southwest Colombia to collect a marine in need of medical treatment. According to reports, the accident occurred close to Tumaco, and may have been caused by poor weather conditions.
The deceased was named as Navy rescuer John Jairo Ocoró Torres. The pilot, co-pilot and two further rescuers suffered minor injuries.
Reacting to the news, Juan Manuel Santos, president of Columbia, said: “All the families of soldiers who die in the line of duty know they have our heart, our sense of solidarity, admiration and gratitude.”
Following the accident, the Coast Guard and Air Force were dispatched to evacuate the crew members, first taking them to Tumaco, before onward transport to Bogotá to receive specialist care.
Rear Admiral Luis Jorge Tovar stated that the aircraft had been en route to Bahía Málaga to evacuate a marine suffering appendicitis when the accident occurred.