High-Profile Deaths in Helicopter Crash
In a devastating incident, the head of El Salvador’s police forces and a man accused of a multi-million dollar embezzlement were killed when the military helicopter they were aboard crashed on Sunday night. The government confirmed the tragic news, which has sent shockwaves through the nation.
Police Director Mauricio Arriaza was escorting Manuel Coto, a former cooperative manager accused of embezzling $35 million, back to El Salvador. Coto had been apprehended earlier on Sunday in Honduras after attempting to flee to the United States. Following his arrest, he was handed over to Salvadoran police.
Call for a thorough investigation
According to the Salvadoran Armed Forces, the helicopter went down in the Pasaquina district, located in the southeast of the country near the border with Honduras. The exact number of individuals on the helicopter at the time of the crash remains unknown.
President Nayib Bukele took to social media platform X to express his concerns and call for a thorough investigation. “What happened cannot remain a simple ‘accident’. It must be investigated thoroughly and to the last consequences,” he stated.
Tribute to a national hero
President Bukele also paid tribute to Arriaza, praising him for his significant contributions to national security and his pivotal roles in various police operations. The loss of such a key figure in law enforcement has undoubtedly left a void in the fight against crime in El Salvador.
As the nation mourns the loss of these individuals, the call for a comprehensive investigation into the crash grows louder. The incident has not only taken the life of a top police official but also the key figure in a high-profile embezzlement case, raising questions that demand answers.
