Helicopter crash kills 18 soldiers in Venezuela

R

rock45

Active member
With that many personnel on one chopper I think they mean Hip-17V5
Helicopter crash kills 18 soldiers in Venezuela


Sun May 3, 5:09 pm ET
CARACAS, Venezuela – Eighteen Venezuelan soldiers, including a brigadier general, died when their helicopter crashed Sunday near Venezuela's border with Colombia, President Hugo Chavez said.
The soldiers were patrolling the 1,400-mile (2,300-kilometer) border separating Venezuela and Colombia when the local military base lost contact with the Mi-35 helicopter shortly after midday. The military helicopter crashed near the town of El Alto de Rubio, the state-run Bolivarian News Agency reported.
Neither Chavez nor the Venezuelan military mentioned the cause of the crash.
Two pilots and the entire crew were killed. Army Brig. Gen. Domingo Alberto Feneite was among the victims.
Chavez sent condolences to the families of the victims. "They died while they were on duty and serving the fatherland," he said.
Chavez also referred to U.S. allegations that his government has failed to prevent border incursions by Colombian rebels and right-wing paramilitaries.
"They say that we don't fight terrorism, and 18 soldiers die patrolling the border," Chavez said.
The U.S. State Department's annual assessment of terrorism released last week said Venezuela "did not systematically police" the border. It said both Colombian rebels and right-wing paramilitaries "regularly crossed into Venezuelan territory to rest and regroup as well as to extort protection money."


Link
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090503/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_helicopter_crash_4
 
the_13th_redneck said:
A Brigadier General?
Geez... makes you wonder huh?
Click to expand...


My first thought also.

He was recently named comander of "Operation Theater #2", of the state of Táchira, before (until 2008) head of the Fuerte Tiuna Infantry School. Promoted straight from Colonel to Brigadier Genral in July 2008 had taken command of the 25th Brigada de Caribes y Guarnición de la Fría, relieving Gen. Juan Carlos Hidalgo Pandares.

The helo was a MI 17 V5 allright, registration EV 08114, and apparently crashed straight into a mountain.

List of the victims:

General de brigada Domingo Alberto Feneite Medina
Capitán Edinson Zambrano
Capitán Eliomar Villamizar
Ciudadano Cristian Velazquez Méndez
Teniente Coronel Miguel Antonio Curra Lava
Teniente Coronel Aristides Jesús Martínez Granados
Mayor Julio Cesar Hernández
Sargento técnico 1ra. Leonardo Tortolero
Sargento técnico 3ra. Hernando Alcalá Villegas
Sargento técnico 3ra. Keiny Gustavo Sojo Colmenares
Sargento mayor 2da. Hugo Zarate Ruíz
Sargento mayor 3ra. Jhon Peña Camacaro
Sargento 2da. Alberto José Laejo
Cabo Joerman Bonilla Ramírez
Cabo 2do. Samir Argenis Suárez Botelo
Cabo 2do. Eber Berona Rojas
Distinguido Victor Mandón Rojas

For what its worth,

Rattler
 
the_13th_redneck said:
Dude... seriously. My God...
Click to expand...

Ok, seriously (and pardon me if I only have the Spanish version available - I have no clue about the Venzuelan rites - , but the lyrics hold true the same for all soldiers on this planet, and more so for Venezuelans as they understand Spanish):

La Muerte No Es El Final - Death Is Not The End

Cuando la pena nos alcanza,
de un compañero perdido.
Cuando el adiós dolorido,
busca en la fe su esperanza.
En tu palabra confiamos
con la certeza que Tú:
ya le has devuelto a la vida,
ya le has llevado a la luz.
Ya le has devuelto a la vida,
ya le has llevado a la luz
Click to expand...
La Muerte No Es El Final - Death Is Not The End


Lo demandó el honor y obedecieron,
lo requirió el deber y lo acataron;
con su sangre la empresa rubricaron
con su esfuerzo la Patria engrandecieron.
Fueron grandes y fuertes,
porque fueron fieles al juramento que empeñaron.
Por eso como valientes lucharon,
y como héroes murieron.
Por la Patria morir fue su destino,
querer a Venezuela su pasión eterna,
servir en los Ejércitos su vocación y sino.
No quisieron servir a otra Bandera,
no quisieron andar otro camino,
no supieron morir de otra manera.

:salute2: Rattler
 
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Capitán Edinson Zambrano
Capitán Eliomar Villamizar
Click to expand...
Those were the pilots.

Then we have 2 Lt. Cols, 1 Civilian and one Major, the rest were grunts:

Sargento técnico 1ra. Leonardo Tortolero
Sargento técnico 3ra. Hernando Alcalá Villegas
Sargento técnico 3ra. Keiny Gustavo Sojo Colmenares
Sargento mayor 2da. Hugo Zarate Ruíz
Sargento mayor 3ra. Jhon Peña Camacaro
Sargento 2da. Alberto José Laejo
Cabo Joerman Bonilla Ramírez
Cabo 2do. Samir Argenis Suárez Botelo
Cabo 2do. Eber Berona Rojas
Distinguido Victor Mandón Rojas
Click to expand...
Normal and not so normal, I guess (brass usually goes heavily accompanied), anybody has anything about the mission?

Rattler
 
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Are you kidding?
It's not so much the Captains I'm concerned about.
I see two Sergeants Major, and three Technical Sergeants (I guess something like Sergeant First Class). And then there's a civilian and ... looks a heck of a lot like a house cleaning.
 
Thats why I asked the mission:

The civilian could be anything from a local honorary (mayor e.g.) over serious contractor to law enforcement or the local drug boss...

"La Verdad" has the mission as
La aeronave se encontraba realizando trabajos de supervisión en la frontera con Colombia al momento del accidente.
Click to expand...
, i.e. "supervision work at the border to Columbia", whatever that means.

Ok, some net research shows that (according to "El Universal")
Trascendió que el único civil en el grupo, Cristian Velásquez Méndez, era chofer de uno de los oficiales.
Click to expand...

i.e. he was the driver of one of the officials (a civilian driver would suggest the was the driver of the Brig Gen.)

Rattler
 
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Eeeh. Command Control bird, thats why it's loaded with rank. HQ Staff and Protection Detail. and the civvie is probably the late generals driver if the report is to be believed, intel guy is my bet.
 
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