Mexico navy copter down in police operation; 1 dead, 10 hurt

MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Authorities in Mexico say a Mexican navy helicopter has crashed during an anti-kidnapping operation, killing a police officer and injuring 10 military personnel in the Gulf state of Veracruz.

The official Twitter account of Veracruz Gov. Cuitláhuac García says the aircraft crashed Saturday in the mountainous Zongolica area while supporting state officers in the rescue of kidnapping victims.

The navy department says in a statement that the helicopter went down after taking off to move two kidnapping victims who had been rescued during an operation that resulted in the arrest of five suspects.

The statement says the person killed was a Veracruz state police officer. It says the injured were eight sailors and two agents of militarized National Guard policing force. The injured are reported in stable condition.

The crash happened in an area of the Veracruz mountains that has intense organized crime activity, both by big drug cartels and smaller groups engaged in the theft of fuel and other crimes.