Seven military officers died in Venezuela after their helicopter crashed on Saturday near Caravas.
The group had been travelling to San Carlos in Cojedes state, where Nicolas Maduro was overseeing training exercises at a military facility.
The Cougar helicopter the men were traveling in plunged into a mountain outside Caracas in the early hours of the day. An investigation has been opened into the cause of the crash.
Two lieutenant colonels and five lower-ranking officers were killed in the crash, a spokesperson for Venezuela’s armed forces said in a statement.
Reports are unclear if the group was part of the presidential delegation traveling to San Carlos.
“I deeply regret this incident and express my heartfelt condolences…to family and friends,” Maduro said on Twitter, in response to the crash.
He described the soldiers as “seven worthy officers”.
