Helicopter crash in northern Mexico leaves 3 dead military officers

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) - Mexican authorities reported that three military officers were killed in a Mexican Air Force helicopter crash on Thursday.

The military aircraft was overflying the municipality of Topia, Durango, a mountainous area in northern Mexico when it crashed.

Two pilots and one soldier were killed in the crash as authorities said that the fatal accident resulted from "bad weather."

During his morning press conference, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that the helicopter crashed after getting caught mid-fly in high-tension cables. However, initial reports stated that a mechanic failure was responsible for the crash.

Under the protocol, auxiliary members of the army went on a rescue mission to the area in Blackhawk helicopters. The state Civil Protection and the Public Prosecutor's Office also visited the site.

The president lamented the deaths of the three military men and briefed that the bodies had been found.

"It is very regrettable. In any case, the search began yesterday because it is also a very inhospitable area, very difficult, intricate in the mountains, but the bodies and the helicopter were found, and the zone commanders, the commander of the region, the municipal authorities also helped," said Lopez Obrador.

In a statement, the Secretariat of National Defense said relatives will be accompanied and provided support.

"This agency is providing the necessary support to the families of the deceased pilots to help them in all their needs during this difficult time, and they will have access to all the benefits that by law correspond to them," it wrote.​​​​​​​