“My heart pains and drowns in sorrow at the tragic (loss) of some of our finest men in uniform,” President Irfaan Ali said in a statement posted on social media, calling the loss “immeasurable.”
Ali identified those who died as a retired brigadier general, a colonel and two lieutenant colonels. The two survivors include the co-pilot, and their conditions weren’t immediately known.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips said authorities are still trying to determine what caused the helicopter to crash, with officials stressing during a news conference Wednesday that there was no indication to suggest any hostile fire.
“We have to find out what happened. The search and rescue has now transitioned to a search and recovery,” Phillips told The Associated Press.
Army Chief Brig. Gen. Omar Khan told reporters late Wednesday that Guyana’s Defense Force lost contact with the brand new Bell 412 EPI aircraft after it took off from Olive Creek settlement in western Guyana following a refueling stop.
The crash in the mountainous and heavily forested area is the worst in Guyana’s military history.
It occurred during an escalating diplomatic row with Venezuela over a vast region known as Essequibo, which is rich with minerals and located near massive oil deposits. The region abuts the border with Venezuela, which claims Essequibo as its own.
David Turner is a globe-trotting journalist who brings a global perspective to our readers. With a commitment to shedding light on international events, he explores complex geopolitical issues, offering a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.