U.S. Anti-Drug Workers Brave Bullets in Reported Colombia Rescue
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BOGOTA, Colombia — American anti-drug workers braved rebel gunfire to help rescue the crew of a downed Colombian police helicopter during an anti-drug mission, police and a U.S. official said Wednesday.
The rescue Sunday illustrated the role American civilians hired by the government are playing in the drug war in this Latin American country--and the risks they face.
The rescue team, U.S. citizens contracted by the State Department for its drug-crop eradication program in Colombia, flew by helicopter into a gun battle in the southern province of Caqueta and pulled out the downed police helicopter’s co-pilot, a flight technician and the door gunner, said Col. Carlos Rivera, air operations chief for the Colombian national police.
His account was confirmed by a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
A Colombian police helicopter had earlier picked up the pilot.
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