Updated 24 September 2020 at 18:43 IST
Mexico confirms its stolen jet crashed near hidden airstrip in Guatemala
A Hawker 800 twin-engine jet used for business purposes which was reported to have been stolen in Mexico has crashed in a jungle in Guatemala, as per reports.
A Hawker 800 twin-engine jet used for business purposes which reported to have been stolen in Mexico has crashed in a jungle in Guatemala. According to the Aviation Safety Network, the jet crashed while approaching a hidden airstrip after making a suspicious trip to Venezuela without any authorized travel plan. In addition, the crash has left two men dead and a stockpile of arms and drugs were found near the bodies.
The Independent Information Service wrote on Twitter that , "two bodies, weapons and possible cocaine reports the @GT_Army that he located in a drug jet that crashed this morning in the village of Santa Marta Salinas. Now they wait for @MPguatemala to process the scene. #trafficking"
3 kilograms of cocaine found
The Independent information Service in Guatemala have released a video on Twitter confirming that the jet crashed in a mountainous region in the Central American country’s Alta Verapaz on Wednesday, September 23. It added that the men had not been identified yet and the officials found 3 kilograms of cocaine packed in three packets along with unspecified guns next to the dead bodies.
The Guatemalan military said that the plane jetted off from the Cuernavaca airport which is located about 45 miles (72 kilometres) south of Mexico City, on Tuesday without any authorization or a scheduled flight plan. The military further added that after taking off, the jet landed at Zulia airport in northwestern Venezuela which shares the border with Colombia several hours later.
Shortly after heading towards Guatemala, it crashed after 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday. The jet has a seating capacity of eight passengers and its theft was reported by both local and federal authorities on Tuesday in Mexico. A senior state government official, Pablo Ojeda reportedly said that three men claiming to be mechanics entered the Cuernavaca airport and took the plane for a test flight. Ojeda added that after refueling the oil tank of the jet, the men took off without any permission. He also added that the owner of the jet has not yet filed any formal robbery report.
The transport ministry and attorney general’s office in Mexico later confirmed that the stolen jet in Cuernavaca matched with the one crashed in Guatemala. The transport ministry added that it would soon initiate an in-depth investigation to find out more details regarding the incident.
Image: RBCNoticiasGT/Twitter
Published By : Sounak Mitra
Published On: 24 September 2020 at 18:44 IST