Mexican President pays tribute to officials lost in copter crash

Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Friday paid tribute to Interior Minister Francisco Blake and other seven officials lost in a helicopter crash on Friday morning. "With a lot of pain I have been informed about the fatal accident in which Blake died as well as other seven officials," Calderon said at a press conference. "Blake was an honest, loyal and committed Mexican. Today Mexico has lost a great patriot, the Interior Ministry has lost an excellent minister and I lost a friend," he said. Calderon has ordered the Communication and Transportation Ministry to thoroughly investigate the "fatal incident" right after hearing about the accident. Although the helicopter had recently undergone maintenance, the cloudy weather conditions may have led to the accident. The victims were found dead on Friday Morning in the helicopter which collapsed in a woodland area near the town of Temantla, about 80 km from Mexico City. The victims also included Vice Interior Minister Felipe Zamora, general director of Social Communication of the Ministry Jose Alfredo Garcia and three military officers. Calderon also regretted the death of Zamora, adding he is "a brilliant and young lawyer who was a fighter for life." He offered condolences to the families of Jose Alfredo Garcia, general director of social communication of the Interior Ministry and of Diana Ayton, technical secretary of the Ministry, Rene de Leon and other three military personnel. Blake, 45, was traveling from Mexico City to the central state of Morelos to attend a public security meeting. Blake was born on May, 22, 1966 and became Interior Minister on July 14, 2010, replacing Fernando Gomez Mont. He was congressman of the National Action Party (PAN). Blake was the second interior minister during Calderon's presidency to be killed in a plane crash. On Nov. 4, 2008, former Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino and several other people died when their small plane crashed in an accident. President Calderon has suspended his agenda and met Blake's family earlier to express his condolence. He also suspended his journey to Hawaii, where he would attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit on Saturday.