Helicopter with eight people reported missing in Guyana

A helicopter with eight military servicemen on board went missing in the Essequibo county region on Wednesday, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) confirmed. 

A major search has since been launched to locate the aircraft and its passengers. 

In a report, senior government and military sources said that the recently-acquired Bell 412 , bearing registration number 8R-AYA, was being piloted by veteran army pilot, Mike Charles, and that foul play is not suspected.

“The aircraft transmitted an Emergency Locator Transmitter signal at 11:20 hours, from coordinates approximately 30 miles east of Arau on our western borders,” the GDF said, adding that “further information will be provided as soon as they are made available”.

The helicopter is reported to have been shuttling from Ekereku to Olive Creek in Essequibo County, and that a  search and rescue team aboard a SkyVan has been deployed to the area.

Venezuela has been claiming the Essequibo county and on Tuesday, President Nicolas Maduro announced that a bill would be sent to the National Assembly for the creation of a “Guyana Esequiba” province in a region Guyana has administered for over a century.

Maduro gave an ultimatum to oil companies working under concessions given by Guyana to withdraw their operations within three months.

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