MOSCOW, October 29 (RIA Novosti) - Ecuador could return six helicopters recently bought from an Indian company after one of the aircraft crashed at an air show last week, the Unverso newspaper reported on Thursday.
One of the seven Dhruv combat helicopters Ecuador had purchased from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited crashed during an air show in the Ecuadoran capital, Quito, last Saturday, injuring the pilot and co-pilot.
Ecuadoran Air Force chief Rodrigo Bohorquez was quoted as saying the contract allowed the return in the event of an irreparable fault.
A special commission is investigating the accident.
The rearmament of the Ecuadoran Air Force was announced in August. The Latin American country's government said it was ready to buy aircraft from Brazil and South Africa. In late September, Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa said combat aircraft from any nations, be it Venezuela, Colombia, the United States or Israel, would be welcome as gifts.
Venezuela has already given Ecuador six Mirage-50 planes it had substituted with more advanced Russian Sukhoi jets. Last year, Ecuador also received three Russian Mi-17 helicopters to carry out defense and patrol missions.
After Moscow talks between President Dmitry Medvedev and Correa on Thursday a contract was signed on the delivery of two Mi-171E helicopters.
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