After making a dawn raid on an airport, armed gunmen stole a government-owned Bell 206L in eastern Venezuela. According to the local governor, it was the second helicopter to be stolen from the airport at Ciudad Bolivar in less than a year.

Governor Francisco Rangel told a local radio station that “seven to ten people with assault rifles” boarded the helicopter and flew away with one of the guards as hostage. “The gunmen released the other guards,” he said, “but also stole small arms before fleeing.”

The guard was later released in Anzoategui state and the helicopter found wrecked in Colombia, after apparently being used in drug trafficking.