Helicopter crash kills 17

Sixteen Venezuelan soldiers and a civilian were killed when a military helicopter crashed near the Colombian border, it was revealed today.

A brigadier general was among those killed in yesterday’s tragedy.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said the soldiers were patrolling the 1,400-mile border separating Venezuela and Colombia when the local military base lost contact with their Mi-17 helicopter shortly after midday.

The state-run Bolivarian News Agency reported that the helicopter crashed in a mountainous area called El Capote.

Two pilots and the entire crew were killed. According to the state news agency, Army Brigadier General Domingo Alberto Feneite and Cristian Velazquez, a civilian, were among the victims.

Neither Mr Chavez nor the Venezuelan military mentioned the cause of the crash.