10 killed in Venezuela military crash

CARACAS, Aug 28, 2010 (AFP) - Ten members of the Venezuelan National Guard died when their helicopter crashed during a search for drug traffickers in the country's western Apure state, a senior officer told the state news agency Saturday.

"Three officers and seven soldiers belonging to the Bolivarian National Guard force died late Friday in an accident involving a helicopter... that was search for narco-traffickers," the state news service AVN said, citing Commander General Luis Alfredo Dominguez.

The cause of the accident, which occurred in Apure, near the border with Colombia, was still unknown.

"These citizens were killed in the line of duty, in fact, we have now captured one of the people we were looking for," Dominguez said.

He offered his condolences to the families of the men, and said the entire country and its National Guard force were in mourning for the troops.


by Tangi Quemener
(c) 2010 AFP