In the wake of Friday’s massive earthquake in Mexico, frightened survivors near the epicenter gathered in a field, opting to spend the night in their cars or under the stars instead of in their damaged, aftershock-prone homes. And then there was an unexpected crisis. It came down from the sky this time.
The pilot lost control just as a military helicopter carrying senior officials who were assessing the earthquake damage was ready to land nearby. The helicopter crashed to the ground a few seconds later, striking multiple cars carrying earthquake survivors.
At least 21 people were injured, and 14 people on the ground died, according to the state prosecutor’s office in Oaxaca, the scene of the incident. At least three children were among the dead. Officials said that Alejandro Murat, the governor of Oaxaca, Interior Secretary Alfonso Navarrete, and every other person on board the helicopter escaped with only minor injuries.
Navarrete told a local reporter that the Blackhawk helicopter’s pilot lost control about 100 feet above the ground as he was getting ready to land in the town of Jamiltepec, which is about 20 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake.
In an interview with Televisa news on Friday night, Navarrete said, “It is unfortunate that this incident occurred,” but that “there was no greater loss of human lives.”
Arriving in Jamiltepec on Saturday, Secretary of National Defense Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda apologized to the locals and said his agency “takes full responsibility for what transpired here.”
“This tragedy arose from our desire to assist the community here,” he said, adding that his organization would help rebuild homes and offer more assistance in the area.