El Salvador police chief dies in ‘suspicious’ helicopter crash

The chief of the Salvadoran police is one of nine people who died on Sunday evening local time when the military helicopter they were traveling in crashed in the Central American country.

Police Director Mauricio Arriaza was escorting a suspect in a multimillion-dollar fraud case to the capital, San Salvador, when the helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff.

The suspect, fugitive former bank executive Manuel Coto, was accused of involvement in the embezzlement of $35 million (£27 million) from a credit union in El Salvador.

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele wrote on X that he believed the crash should not be considered an accident and ordered an investigation.

President Bukele said flags would fly at half-mast for three days in honour of Mr Arriaza.

The president appointed him police chief in 2019 and he played a key role in Mr Bukele's crackdown on El Salvador's notorious gangs.

Under Bukele, the country's appalling murder rate has fallen, but human rights groups say security comes at a price: some suspects are arbitrarily arrested and denied fair trials.

President Bukele praised the late police chief as a “fundamental contribution to the creation of peace and security for our people.”

Mr Bukele said he would ask for international help in investigating the causes of the crash.

El Salvador's armed forces said the UH-1H helicopter crashed near Pasaquina, about ten kilometers from the border with Honduras.

According to local media, Police Chief Arriaza, Mr Coto and a television news crew were on board the helicopter.

All persons on board died in the crash, the Salvadoran military said.

Mr Arriaza had travelled to the Honduran border to arrest Mr Coto.

Honduran officials said police arrested the former bank executive as he attempted to enter the United States with the help of a human smuggler.

The news of his arrest caused surprise and confusion, as it was not widely known that he was on the run.

In fact, the Salvadoran authorities had already announced in July that Mr Coto had been arrested in Panama.

It is not clear how he got to Honduras.

Mr. Coto was one of 32 people charged with embezzlement and money laundering in connection with the disappearance of $35 million from the coffers of the credit union COSAVI.

The Attorney General of El Salvador accused the group of diverting money from the population's savings to buy luxury apartments and cars, among other things.

A total of 15 people have been arrested in connection with this case. Among them are Mr Coto's parents.