Press
Release from the Colombian Presidency
Bogotá,
31 march, 2008
The
National Government wishes to inform that:
1.
On March 30, at 11:10 a.m., a military helicopter, Gazella
type, registration 316 of the Ecuadorian Army was seen
in the Colombian air space.
2.
Two Black Hawk helicopters from the Colombian Army which
were in the area, tried to establish radio contact with
the mentioned aircraft with negative results. The international
procedures established for such a case have been followed.
3.
In light of the above, the helicopter was ordered to
land in the coordinate: latitude 01 degrees, 22 minutes,
59 seconds north and longitude 78 degrees, 37 minutes
and 19 seconds west.
4.
The Colombian authorities invited the military Ecuadorian
aircraft to go to the airport in the city of Tumaco
which is located less than 15 minutes away from the
place of landing indicated previously. The occupants,
two pilots and two passengers, all with the military
uniforms of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces received frequency
118.1 in writing, with the purpose of keeping direct
contact with the Colombian helicopters in their sojourn
to Tumaco.
5.
Once in the air, the Ecuadorian helicopter, escorted
by the two Colombian helicopters, surprisingly descended
and flew close to ground level on a southern direction,
thus ignoring the instructions meted out by the Colombian
authorities.
6.
The military Commander of the Colombian Air Force decided
to cancel any procedure against the helicopter since
it was a military aircraft belonging to the Ecuadorian
Air Force.
7.
The military authorities of Ecuador were informed on
the above.
8.
The Government of Colombia promotes the fraternal cooperation
between the authorities and the peoples of Ecuador and
Colombia in order to comply with the agreements of the
Organization of American States (OAS).
Bogotá,
March 31, 2008
|
