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Mexico's Puebla governor Martha Erika Alonso dies in helicopter crash | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The governor of Mexico's central Puebla state, Martha Erika Alonso, has died in a helicopter crash, just days after being sworn into office. | |
Her husband, Senator Rafael Moreno Valle, and two pilots were also killed. Reports say there was a third passenger on board, who also died. | |
Monday's accident happened shortly after the aircraft took off from the state capital of Puebla. | |
Ms Alonso became Puebla's first female governor after hotly contested polls. | |
The 45-year-old was a member of the centre-right PAN party. | |
The deaths of the governor and her husband were confirmed by Mexico's new President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. | |
In a tweet (in Spanish), President López Obrador expressed "deepest condolences" to the relatives of the two politicians. | In a tweet (in Spanish), President López Obrador expressed "deepest condolences" to the relatives of the two politicians. |
He said an investigation would be launched to establish "the truth" about what caused the crash. | He said an investigation would be launched to establish "the truth" about what caused the crash. |
Mexican officials later said they believed the helicopter went down after suffering an unspecified failure near Puebla, Mexico's second largest city. | |
Ms Alonso had taken office on 14 December, narrowly beating in July's elections Manuel Barbosa, President López Obrador's favoured candidate for the governorship of one of Mexico's most populous states. | Ms Alonso had taken office on 14 December, narrowly beating in July's elections Manuel Barbosa, President López Obrador's favoured candidate for the governorship of one of Mexico's most populous states. |
President López Obrador's Morena party had alleged widespread irregularities and fraud in the poll, and the final results had to be validated by an electoral tribunal. | President López Obrador's Morena party had alleged widespread irregularities and fraud in the poll, and the final results had to be validated by an electoral tribunal. |
Mr Barbosa said the deaths of Ms Alonso and Mr Moreno Valle was a "tragedy that no-one wishes to anyone". | Mr Barbosa said the deaths of Ms Alonso and Mr Moreno Valle was a "tragedy that no-one wishes to anyone". |
"I am shocked and in mourning. My sympathies to their loved ones. This is not the time to make any speculation," Mr Barbosa added. | "I am shocked and in mourning. My sympathies to their loved ones. This is not the time to make any speculation," Mr Barbosa added. |
Mr Moreno Valle also served as Puebla's governor between 2011 and 2017. | Mr Moreno Valle also served as Puebla's governor between 2011 and 2017. |
Puebla's parliament will now have to appoint an interim governor until new elections are held. | Puebla's parliament will now have to appoint an interim governor until new elections are held. |
Monday's accident comes after a number of high-profile deaths in helicopter crashes over the years in Mexico, including Interior Minister Francisco Blake Mora in 2011, the BBC's Will Grant reports. | Monday's accident comes after a number of high-profile deaths in helicopter crashes over the years in Mexico, including Interior Minister Francisco Blake Mora in 2011, the BBC's Will Grant reports. |
Earlier this year, 13 people died when a minister's helicopter crashed into a crowd, although the minister himself survived, our correspondent says. | Earlier this year, 13 people died when a minister's helicopter crashed into a crowd, although the minister himself survived, our correspondent says. |