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Minister Mike Peyrefitte first explained the mission that the helicopter and its crew were on near the Coastal Highway, between Northern And Southern Lagoon:

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte- Minister of National Security
"Normally when we have the air assistance from the helicopters it is standard operating procedure for that helicopter to either stay on the ground with the supporting troops or they would hover over the immediate area to see if they could discover or get any additional clues toward the landing of the plane. They would veer coastally if they can, to see there are any incoming boats or even on land if they can see any vehicles that were escaping from the especially since in this instance we did not arrest any persons concerning the plane that landed. It's not unusual, as I said, for the helicopter to hover in the area or even land on ground on the site. It is equally not unusual for the helicopter to remain the entire day at the site with the support of composite team or other supporting members of the Belize Police Department or the BDF. The only time they would usually radio in is when there is a situation and so when they did not radio by evening yesterday there was no need for alarm. However, when dusk came and night set in it became of immediate concern to the BDF that the helicopter had not returned to base at Williamson. Immediately the Belize Defense Force kicked in their standard operating procedures for search and a full fledged search begone last night for the helicopter and the four people on the helicopter, two pilots and two support crew. The search happened and this morning the helicopter was discovered in the sea just off Gales Point, and subsequently a search was done for the four members of the crew. The four members of the crew were discovered and their bodies gave no response and they have been determined to be dead."

Jules Vasquez- Reporting
"Is it a break down CO or general in the chain of communication or command in so far as a highly valuable asset and much more irreplaceable asset- the life of four officers, four soldiers- is unaccounted for for a day and no one notices or no one is in constant communication to say, who has the very valuable asset and invaluable- the lives of those on-board."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte
"It's a legitimate question but like I said it was not unusual for them not reporting if there was an issue. At the same time though, that is all a part of the investigation. When we do the investigation we will do an internal investigation to ensure that all proper protocols were followed and an external investigation to see if there was any foul play or any criminal activity."

Jules Vasquez
"But inevitably, anyone seeing the object circumstances where no alarm was raised, as far as we know, until this morning, the Commissioner of Police duly took a victory lap yesterday and all Belizeans went to sleep last night saying, law enforcements had done well only to wake up and find out that the worst air disaster in the BDF's history has been recorded. My question is, well something is amiss here and might the soldiers on a lark or on an unauthorized mission? Would you all speak to that for me please. That subsiding feeling for four soldiers and very valuable asset to go unaccounted for for apparently 24 hours."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte
"I'm not going to embark on any suppositions and I am not going to disrespect the deceased gentlemen and their families by even getting into a guessing game as to whether or not they were on some frolic of their own. They were on official mission. You are talking about two of the best pilots not only in the country but in the world. One of them is an instructor who topped his class for the entire Caribbean. Now, I understand there may be reckless supposition but as I clearly indicated before that an alarm was sounded in the evening yesterday when they did not return. The public only knew about it from this morning because that is when the search was leaked. However, the alarm had been sounded with the BDF from last night and from last night steps have been taken to search and look for the helicopter."

Reporter
"Were you aware that this was a sanctioned mission. Did you personally sanction this mission for these guys to go out there?"

"Of course it is a sanctioned mission. It is, it is a sanctioned mission."