An air accident in Quibdó (Chocó) that occurred with a helicopter of plates EJC 4227, from the Army, left four fatalities two officers and two non-commissioned officers, including a woman.
The victims were identified as Captain Hector Jerez, Lieutenant Julieth Garcia, and second sergeants Johan Orozco, and Rubén Leguizamo.
(See: Video: an Army helicopter fell in a Quibdó neighborhood).
Lieutenant García, only 30 years old and a native of Cúcuta, belonged to the Cazadores team in August 2020 when she was taking a course to become a pilot.
Julieth became the first woman in the Army to fly the UH1N aircraft.
From another area of Quibdó, the moment in which the helicopter fell from the @COL_EJERCITO . Four deaths are confirmed, two officers and two sub-officials, including a woman. unfortunate news pic.twitter.com/PXEMEju6AT
— Mely Múnera (@MelyMunera) March 19, 2023
Captain Héctor Jerez was 32 years old, he was a native of Bucaramanga, he was a student at the Inem school and lived all his life in Real de Minas.
President Gustavo Petro lamented the loss of the uniformed through social networks.
“It is with sadness that I regret to report that there were no survivors in the plane crash in Quibdó. I accompany the families of the CT. Hector Jerez, TE. Julieth Garcia, SS. Johan Orozco and SS. Ruben Leguizamon in this painful moment. we won’t leave them alone“said the president.
It is with sadness that I regret to report that there were no survivors in the plane crash in Quibdó. I accompany the families of the CT. Hector Jerez, TE. Julieth Garcia, SS. Johan Orozco and SS. Ruben Leguizamon in this painful moment. We will not leave them alone.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) March 19, 2023
This air incident is still a matter of investigation, however, the first hypotheses suggest that it was due to a mechanical failure at the rear of the aircraft.
(See: They will create an Air Accident Investigation Center).
Colonel Héctor Alfonso Candelario, commander of the Army’s Titan Task Force, confirmed that the helicopter was in a sourcing operation to bring food to soldiers on missions.
Upon arriving in the area, he verified that two bodies were found and then the other two were found, which, apparently, according to the community, had been thrown from the aircraft.
#Attention | First data of the tragic accident in Quibdó:
Apparently the tail rotor of the helicopter (the box of 90) came off. They are investigating whether two of the uniformed officers managed to throw themselves from the aircraft.
Registration: EJC 4227
(THREAD) pic.twitter.com/swMTDykSaC— Hernán Muñoz Álvarez (@hperiodista) March 19, 2023
(See: Government of Japan announces the largest rearmament of its army since WWII).
TIME
