public safety

SAN responds to critics

The crash of a Servicio Aéreo Nacional (SAN) helicopter Thursday that killed 11 people has put the spotlight on the agency and has some questioning whether the country's entire fleet should be replaced.

The SAN has 21 aircraft, but only seven of these, two helicopters and five airplanes, can be used. The remainder are grounded because they lack proper maintenance.

After Thursday's crash, Vice President Rubén Arosemena proposed that all the agency's aircraft be replaced. But SAN Director Rigoberto Gordon said that should not be done.

"We don´t need to throw what we have into the trash," he said.

A plan was submitted last February to upgrade the agency's aircraft by spending $40 million over the next four years in capital improvements. This money calls for the repair of existing aircraft as well as the purchase of new ones.

Gordon has asked for a total of $10 million over the next two years to repair five helicopters that are currently grounded. He has also asked for a special appropriation of $1.5 million to cover maintenance costs for the rest of the year.

The agency has an annual budget of $9.8 million.