A Venezuelan military helicopter crashed on Dec. 30 as it was flying between Puerto Ayacucho and La Esmeralda in the state of Amazonas, the local governor confirmed Monday.

In a telephone interview with Union Radio, Liborio Guarulla said "the helicopter is in La Esmeralda and it is presumed it could have crashed along the way."

Guarulla said 13 passengers were on board, including eight soldiers and five civilians, and that a search had begun "involving the communities of the area."

"We have no real information about what may have happened, but we assume it is located along its flight path," he added.

Finally, he said that "official information was being awaited and that all the crew members of this airforce helicopter can be found."

source: Xinhua