Colombia Accuses Ecuador
of Violating Airspace
Colombia Monday accused
an Ecuadoran military
helicopter of violating
its airspace Sunday.
An Ecuadoran Air Force
Gazelle helicopter
entered Colombia at
11.10 a.m. local time
(1610 GMT), and
Colombian Black Hawk
helicopters had tried
and failed to establish
radio contact with it,
said a statement issued
by the Colombian
presidency.
Colombian soldiers
identified two pilots
and two passengers
aboard the Ecuadoran
aircraft, all in
military uniform.
"The Ecuadoran craft
descended suddenly and
flew low to the south,
not completing the
instructions given," the
statement said, adding
that the Colombians had
not chased the aircraft
and that Ecuador's
government had been
informed.
Ecuador is yet to resume
diplomatic ties with
Colombia, which it
severed following the
latter's incursion into
Ecuadoran territory to
conduct a raid on a
rebel camp on March 1.
Also Monday, Ecuador
began proceedings
against Colombia in the
International Courts of
Justice in The Hague,
Netherlands, over
Colombian herbicide
spraying. Ecuador says
the chemicals have
caused cross-border
damage to the health of
Ecuadoran citizens, as
well as to animals and
farmlands.
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