VIP Helicopter Overdue, Senior Official Missing

A Mexican government VIP helicopter is missing in mountainous country west of Mexico City, and a search is underway. Aboard the aircraft is Mexico's Public Safety Secretary, Ramon Martin Huerta, who is in charge of the famous "Policia Federale Preventiva" or "Federales," Mexico's national police, as well as the country's sprawling prison system.

Huerta, a longtime friend and ally of President Vicente Fox, was enroute to maximum-security La Palma prison, where he was to arrive at noon CDT to swear in a new batch of prison guards.

When the helicopter did not arrive, the swearing-in was postponed and a search begun. Air Traffic Control has been unable to raise the missing aircraft.

Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez, another Fox confidant, expressed concern about his fellow cabinet member. "For me, it is of great concern when any person has been in an accident, or is injured, or killed, but in this case in particular, the friendship that bonds me with Ramon for a long time makes this an extra-personal worry," he said.

The Mexican PFP operates almost fifty aircraft, including over two dozen helicopters. The types include Eurocopter EC120B, AS350B2/B3 and AS355N, MD Helicopters MD530F, and Bell 204/5 Hueys, 206-4 Longrangers and 412s. Four larger Mi-17 transports from the Ukraine also serve with the Federales.

It is believed that the missing aircraft is one of the Mi-17s.

Mexican media reports are conflicting at the time, but appear to confirm that the missing aircraft has crashed. The point of conflict is whether survivors exist, and in what quantity.

FMI: www.pfp.gov.mx