Email

Print

As we told you last week Friday, the Government of Belize is holding unto a Bell 407 helicopter, which was found in the Blue Creek area last Wednesday. The chopper was found close to the Belize-Mexico border and the BDF flew it to Price Barracks where it remains tonight. So, what will the Ministry of National security do with it? That's what we asked the minister today:

Jules Vasquez

"What is the status of the case? And what's the plan to use the helicopter?"

Hon. John Saldivar - Minister of National Security

"The case is still under investigation. We don't have any leads at this time. The helicopter as far as we are concerned was abandoned by who so ever left it there. And therefore there's a time for them to claim or come forward and after that then it's considered as abandoned property; will become the property of the government of Belize, an asset of the Belize Defence Force."

Jules Vasquez

"Will we be able to operationalize it, to use it?"

Hon. John Saldivar - Minister of National Security

"Well I am sure you know by now that when it was moved from Blue Creek to the BDF camp it was flown by BDF pilots. So we know that though they haven't had training in that particular asset; that they're training in helicopter and in flying allowed them to move the helicopter from there to the BDF camp. With some more training I'm sure they'll be expert at flying."

Jules Vasquez

"Now, I know that you certainly don't want narcos moving in and around the country. But is this in a way a serendipitous windfall? That they abandoned; a helicopter like that cost at least one and a half million US if not more."

Hon. John Saldivar - Minister of National Security

"As I have said, we don't have any leads at this time as to what may have caused the helicopter to be landed there. So we can't surmise, we can't assume; we can just be happy that it did and that no one has come forward and within the appropriate time it will be declared abandoned and become the property of the BDF."

Saldivar completely dismissed any suggestions that the chopper may have used to transport Mexican fugitive, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Ministry officials loosely estimate that the chopper is valued at one million US dollars. A full assessment of its air worthiness has not been completed.