Six dead men allegedly linked to light aircraft incident in Guanacaste
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Ministry of Security reported the death of six men, who were apparently linked to an accident of a light aircraft in the area of Nandayure* in the province of Guanacaste.
According to the Ministry's report, on Sunday night, at 10:32, police officers saw a light aircraft flying very close to the ground, near the mountainous area in Nadayure.
A few minutes later, officers reported watching the light aircraft crash in the mountains.
Then, police officers with the support of officers of the National Coast Guard Service made a review of the area and found the wreckage, where they also found the burned bodies of two men, who are believed to be the pilot and copilot.
According to the police report, during an inspection in the area, officers saw several men inside a 4x4 car, not far from the light aircraft crash area.
"The men tried to flee when they saw the police," said the Ministry in its statement." So the officers began following the suspects.
"At that time, the suspects began shooting at the police officers," said the Ministry in its report. "The police used their weapons to repel the shots."
The search took place over three kilometers until the police found the car, which had overturned near to the Juna de León River.
After a review of the vehicle, the police found "four dead men" who appeared to have died as a result of the accident.
The police also reported having seen two other men fleeing through the tall weeds in the mountainous area.
According to the Ministry, officers of the Air Surveillance Service and the National Coast Guard Service inspected the area in search of the other two suspects.
Also, agents of the Judicial Investigation Organization, transported the bodies of the six men, to the forensic facilities know as Medicatura Forense in Heredia*, where specialists will work to identify them.
Agents also continue to analyze the debris from the crash scene to determine the flight route and the reason the aircraft was flying in the area.
On a recent case of another light aircraft linked to drugs traffiking was reported on A.M. Costa Rica on August 7, when the Public Ministry, by the order of the Judge of the Criminal Court of Liberia*,
in Guanacaste, ordered three months of pre-trial prison to a man of
Mexican nationality surnamed García-Toledo, identified as the pilot of a
light aircraft, which allegedly carried 391 kilos of cocaine.
"The suspect was captured in Salitral*
also in Guanacaste, after officers from the Air Surveillance Service of
the Ministry of Public Security followed the light aircraft," said the
Public Ministry in its statement.
According to the case, the officers received an
international warning about a suspicious light aircraft that was flying
through El Salvador to Costa Rica.
"On August 1st at 2 p.m we
received a regional alert that there was a light aircraft flying through
the country of El Salvador," said Michael Soto, Minister of Security.
At
5 p.m., the agents detected the entrance of the light aircraft into
national airspace. Agents flew over the area of Salitral, where they
found a Cessna 206 light aircraft, without identification plates, which
had landed on a hidden highway.
In coordination with the police
of the Ministry of Security, the Drug Control Police and agents of Air
Surveillance, 14 large bags were found scattered around the plane.
Officers confirmed that the bags contained 391 kilos of cocaine and were confiscated by the police.
The police also reported having found fuel containers and Mexican-brand food.
After
a review of the area, officers also found suspect Garcia-Toledo, who
was carrying a backpack with $46,400, said the police in its report.
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