5 Colombian soldiers rescued after helicopter goes down at sea

Five Colombian soldiers have been rescued after their helicopter crashed Friday between the Caribbean islands of Providencia and San Andres, the Colombian navy said on Saturday.

In the helicopter were travelling police officer, Andrew Lopez, helicopter technician, Farid Mendez, coastguard officer, David Naranjo, the co-pilot, Julio Cortes and the pilot Jose Arevalo.

However, the helicopter was also transporting presumed drug trafficker, Rafael Tobias, who is missing.

Tobias was recently captured and charged for trafficking and was being transported from Providencia to San Andres to face trial.

"We are intensifying the search for the missing person reinforced by a navy ship," said Admiral Andres Vasquez in a statement, after stating the rescue of the five soldiers happened successfully on Friday night.

According to Vasquez, the helicopter went down around 14 nautical miles from San Andres but the cause of the crash has not been established.

source: Xinhua