Canadian experts to assist in helicopter crash investigation

Aviation safety inspectors from Canada have begun examining the crash of the helicopter in which the governor of Puebla, Martha Erika Alonso , and her husband, senator Rafael Moreno Valle were traveling.

The helicopter crash caused the death of both politicians and three other people.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador

reminded that, in order to shed light on what happened, the federal government decided to turn to international security and air transport organizations. Thus, the U.S. Transport Safety Commission and a group of experts from Canada will take part in the investigation, as well as agents from the European Community .

“There will be two expert opinions and even three, if necessary, to clarify the facts of this tragedy,” stated the President when referring to the incident that happened when the private helicopter Augusta A 109 , in which Alonso, her husband, and three escorts were traveling to Mexico City , crashed last Monday.

López Obrador personally thanked the cooperation of experts from the United States since, although the country’s government has remained closed due to discrepancies regarding their budget for 2019 , U.S. authorities have authorized their participation in the investigation. “We asked them to make an exception to which they responded positively.”

Given their recent support, the President claimed that his government would remain cautious in face of diplomatic challenges, such as Donald Trump’s most recent tweets in which he has insisted on closing the Mexico-U.S. border . López Obrador did not comment on it, “We care very deeply about our relationship with the United States,” he said.

During his morning press conference, López Obrador was accompanied by the new Minister of Communications and Transport, Javier Jiménez Espriú .

The minister explained that the participation of foreign experts could help determine the cause of the incident, “a strictly technical judgment on why the helicopter crashed.” Government agents are analyzing the crash site “to determine how the helicopter fell. They will also take some of its parts for further inspection.”

“They will also be taking computers they found on site with flight records, as well as the engine, to find out whether it stopped working and why,” he stated, adding that the investigation would indicate whether the crash was caused by a technical failure, an error on the part of the pilot, or any other reason .

Mexican governor and senator husband die in helicopter crash

dm