BRIEFS: public safety

San to upgrade fleet, improve training

With the $5 million that was approved last week in a special appropriation, the Servicio Aéreo Nacional (SAN) is planning to launch a program to refurbish its helicopters, said Ministro de Gobierno y Justicia Daniel Delgado Diamante.

The money will also be used for pilot training and improvements to the agency's mechanics training center.

Tthe agency had requested $8.2 million to repair its aging fleet last February. That request was fast tracked after SAN-100 crashed, killing 100 people. The cause of the crash is believed to be engine failure, though the investigation is still ongoing.

The agency has requested a total of $40 million over the next four years to modernize its fleet.