The most feared is confirmed. The three soldiers who were aboard the helicopter Super Puma last 22 crashed into the sea off the coast of Western Sahara were killed in the incident. The Defense Minister Pedro Morenés, announced Thursday night that the families magistrate judge had certified after divers inspected the cabin located on Wednesday 40 meters deep, the three bodies are inside the apparatus.
After meeting at the air base of Gando (Gran Canaria) with the relatives of Captain Jose Morales Rodriguez, Saul Lopez Quesada Lieutenant and Sergeant Jhonander Ojeda, Morenés has appeared before the media to make a brief statement without questions.
The minister explained that the magistrate judge military 52nd, case manager and found aboard the Maritime Action Ship (BAM) Ray, he informed the 19.07 (local time) that had certified the presence of three bodies inside cab, after this was inspected by divers. In addition to supporting the families of the deceased, the priority of his department is now "recover the bodies [that are still inside the device] and upload Rayo, with all the guarantees of security." Then you will be transferred to Las Palmas, "to continue with the legal proceedings."
The minister warned that this work, which includes the lifting of the helicopter may be delayed, "considering the very poor meteorological conditions in the area" and the need to preserve the safety of those involved in the rescue. Morenés news has moved the King and President Marian Rajoy, who said he was "dismayed" and conveyed its condolences to the relatives and fellow soldiers killed across his Twitter account.
The Super Puma, belonging to 802 Squadron of the Air Force, was released on Thursday 22 Dakar (Senegal), where the military had instructed members of the local military air rescue on missions of. The helicopter was due to arrive Gando at 16.45, but at 14.05, after a stop for refueling in Nouadibou (Mauritania), crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, in an area with no radio or radar coverage, 40 miles southwest of Dakhla, the former Villa Cisneros.
The activation of the beacon device locates and immediately a rescue operation that was surrounded by confusion began. One Moroccan helicopter Puma claimed to have seen the device in the sea, along with a pond from which a flare was launched. The F-18 that left from Gando also thought he saw the flare, while this and one CN-235.
