Mexico City: Mexican Interior Minister Francisco Blake Mora was killed in a helicopter crash Friday, along with seven others, an official said.
The victims included Blake’s deputy Felipe Zamora, general director of social communication Jose Alfredo Garcia and three military officers, presidential spokeswoman Alejandra Sota said. There were eight people on board.
The bodies were found about 80 km from Mexico City on the border of the central state of Morelos, Xinhua reported.
Blake, 45, was travelling to Morelos to attend a public meeting. He became interior minister in July 2010.
He was the second interior minister during Felipe Calderon’s presidency to be killed in a plane crash.
In 2008, then interior minister Juan Camilo Mourino was killed in a small plane crash, along with several others. (IANS)