Bell 412 Helicopter wreckage found, five officers perish

The Guyana Defence Force, earlier today, entered the second day of its search and rescue operation to locate one of its helicopters which went missing since 11:20 hours yesterday, Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

A special Forces team was inserted into the area and arrived at the crash site at approximately 1430 hours this afternoon.

The team’s mission was to extract the persons onboard, namely Brigadier (Ret’d) Gary Beaton, Colonel Michael Shahoud, Lieutenant Colonel Sean Welcome, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Charles, Lieutenant Andio Crawford, Staff Sergeant Jason Khan, and Corporal Dwayne Jackson.

However, at around 14:47 hours, the team reported that there were only two survivors; Lieutenant Andio Crawford and Corporal Wayne Jackson.

The Chief of Staff, Officers and Ranks of the Guyana Defence extends sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who perished. The Guyana Defence Force is committed to providing unwavering support to these families during this unprecedented and challenging period of mourning. These Officers have served and given excellent service in the defence of our country and will be duly recognized.

The Force extends its deepest gratitude to the Search and Rescue team for their tireless efforts, working around the clock to navigate adverse conditions and challenging circumstances. Their dedication and resilience have not gone unnoticed, and we commend them for their selfless service during this trying time.

The next phase of the operation involves the extraction from the area, followed by the commencement of an investigation into the incident.

The Guyana Defence Force will provide further information as necessary.