Guyana helicopter crashes suspiciously; Defence Force finds wreck site, FIVE dead

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer 

#Guyana, December 10, 2023 – Guyana is now left in suspicion and concern after a helicopter of the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) went missing near Venezuela this past Tuesday; it has since been found crashed thrusting the country into mourning for five officers.

There are two survivors.  Flags are being flown now at half mast.

The aircraft the GDF says is a Bell 412 Helicopter (8R-AYA) that departed the force’s Base Camp Ayanganna, at 9:23 am and in a release, published on Facebook, the defence force also explained the chopper was carrying three crew members and four passengers; none were identified.

The aircraft reportedly transmitted an Emergency Locator Transmitter Signal not too long after leaving base at 11:20 am from coordinates approximately 30 miles east of Arau on Guyana’s western border, near Venezuela.

In response, GDF in partnership with private sector bait raft operators have launched a search and rescue operation to locate the aircraft, which the release says is affected by adverse weather conditions in the area.

However, despite the circumstances, on the morning of December 7th, GDF announced it located the crash site and that positive signs of life were detected. Troops were sent to the location.

The Force says it will provide more information as it comes, but the men who perished were identified as:  Retired Brigadier Gary Beaton; Colonel Michael Shahoud; Lieutenant Colonel Michael Charles; Lieutenant Colonel Sean Welcome and Staff Sergeant Jason Khan. Survivors were named as: Lieutenant Andio Crawford and Corporal Dwayne Jackson.

The discovery of the crashed helicopter comes in the middle of the growing conflict between Guyana and Venezuela concerning the Essequibo region.  Just days before Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela announced plans to pursue the oil rich land in dispute, taking direction from a referendum in his country where 95% of voters agreed that it is Venezuelan land.  Guyana, however, says Essequibo is theirs and calls the Venezuelan announcement a “threat.”

The lost and injured members of the Defence Force are now being hailed for their selfless service.

In a statement President Irfaan Ali said; “My heart pains and drowns in sorrow at the tragic loss of some of our finest men in uniform. The scale of this loss to the families, our country, the GDF and to me personally is immeasurable.”