Ecuador's defence minister killed in helicopter crash (Roundup)

Jan 25, 2007, 18:53 GMT

Quito - Ecuador's government Thursday announced a comprehensive investigation into the death of Defence Minister Guadalupe Larriva, killed late Wednesday in a crash that involved two military helicopters.

The two helicopters collided mid-air near the city of Manta on the Pacific coast, also killing at least five high-level officers of the Ecuadorian military as well as Larriva's 17-year-old daughter.

   Conditions in the area were normal at the time of the crash soon after take-off, at around 8 pm (0100 GMT). The French-made helicopters did not have black boxes to record messages between the pilots.

TV broadcaster Canal Uno reported that the helicopters exploded immediately after colliding. Eyewitnesses said there were several mutilated and burned corpses at the site of the accident, around 390 kilometres west of Quito.

The military only allowed access to the area to rescue personnel and medical teams.

'It is absolutely not normal that two military helicopters fly together and so close to each other, least of all at night,' Interior Minister Gustavo Larrea admitted.

President Rafael Correa in turn said he intends to seek support for the investigation from friendly foreign countries, 'so that everything is clarified beyond a shadow of doubt.'

In his first reaction to the accident on Wednesday, Correa had expressed sorrow after travelling to the crash site and asked the country to 'pray for the soul of Guadalupe, her daughter, her family and the government of Ecuador.'

   Larriva, 50, took office on January 15 and was the first woman to serve as Ecuador's defence minister. A former university geography professor and member of parliament, she also the first civilian to lead Ecuador's 176-year-old military, although she had neither professional nor political experience in defence questions.

   In her last TV interview, socialist Larriva said Wednesday that she had been well received as defence minister.