Death from sky for sheltering quake survivors
MEXICO: After a powerful earthquake struck Mexico on Friday afternoon, local time, survivors near the quake’s epicentre gathered in a field, planning to spend the night sleeping under the stars or in vehicles instead of in damaged homes vulnerable to aftershocks.
And then, a second crisis hit. This time, it fell from the sky.
A military helicopter carrying officials assessing quake damage was about to land nearby when the pilot lost control. A few seconds later, it crashed to the earth - directly onto several vehicles packed with survivors.
Thirteen people on the ground died and 15 people were injured, according to the state prosecutor’s office in Oaxaca, where the crash took place. The dead included at least three children.
Interior Secretary Alfonso Navarrete, Oaxaca Governor Alejandro Murat and everyone else aboard the helicopter survived with only minor injuries, officials said.
Navarrete told a local journalist that the pilot of the Blackhawk helicopter lost control about 30m above the ground as it was preparing to land in the city of Jamiltepec, about 30km from the earthquake’s epicentre.
‘‘It is unfortunate that this happened,’’ he told Televisa news Friday night. He added that it was fortunate that ‘‘there was greater loss of human lives.’’
Mexicans reacted angrily to the crash.
‘‘In Oaxaca, a helicopter should not fly at night,’’ tweeted Mexican Senator Layda Sansores. She called the accident ‘‘an act of stupidity, of failed leadership and unforgivable irresponsibility.’’
The accident was another embarrassment for Navarrete. Earlier this month, an intelligence agent from an agency overseen by the Interior Department was caught tailing an opposition presidential candidate.
Navarrete and Murat were evaluating damage from the earthquake before their helicopter no crashed.
The US Geological Survey said the 7.2 magnitude quake struck near the town of Pinotepa in Oaxaca state. A magnitude 5.9 aftershock also centred in Oaxaca struck about an hour later, and was followed by a series of aftershocks throughout the night.
While some homes and businesses near the quake’s epicentre were damaged, there were no reports of deaths, officials said. About 300km away in Mexico City, where hundreds of thousands of people poured into the streets for safety after an earthquake early warning system alarm bell rang out, only minor damage was reported. - LA Times