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Mexico City

-Question: Good evening, Mr. Secretary.
-Answer: Good evening, Joaquín.

I have some very sad news for all Mexicans, above all for those of us working in President Calderón's government.
Today, a Lear Jet 45 C10 with XC-VMC plates, owned by the Interior Secretariat, crashed during a trip from San Luis Potosí to Mexico City.

As you mentioned, the accident claimed the lives of Interior Secretariat Juan Camilo Mouriño Terrazo, a great friend and Mexican, José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, Technical Secretary for the Implementation of the Penal Justice System, Arcadio Echeverría Lanz, Events and Administration Coordinator of the Interior Secretariat, José Miguel Monterrubio Cubas, Director General of the Media in the same secretariat; Norma Angélica Díaz, Director of Information; Head of Assistants, Captain Julio César Ramírez Dávalos; captain of the airplane Captain Álvaro Sánchez Jiménez; Pilot Martín de Jesús Oliva and Flight Attendant Gisel Carrillo.

The government expresses its sincerest condolences for the victims, relatives and reports that it has already begun investigations to determine the causes of the accident; information will be provided as these investigations advance, in keeping with the law.

At this very moment, Joaquín, the Head Office of Civil Aeronautics is already being assisted by two members of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, while another group of three or four National Transportation Safety Board officials will arrive in Mexico early tomorrow morning to carry out all the investigations required, some of which are already underway.

-QUESTION: Dr. Téllez, this is the first air accident of this nature in Mexico City.

-ANSWER: Yes, it was a very unfortunate accident and a number of people were injured because it occurred on the corner of Periférico and Paseo de la Reforma, near Fuente de Petróleos.

It was a most unfortunate accident, we had never had this sort of accident before in Mexico City, as you said, and the loss of life was extremely unfortunate.

-QUESTION: Absolutely.This raises the need to check the flights that constantly fly over Mexico City, day and night, as has been suggested, unsuccessfully, on numerous other occasions, Mr. Secretary.

-ANSWER: Yes.

I would just like to say, Joaquín, that the routes are very well established. They comply with all the international safety norms in nearly all of the world’s cities, as when you land in Washington, for example, at National Airport or Ronald Reagan Airport.

When you land in John F. Kennedy or LaGuardia Airport, in New York City, you always fly over urban zones, as you do in Chicago, Berlin or London, Heathrow, and this was a very unfortunate accident, the causes of which are being investigated, but the approach cones are very safe. They have been studied by various international institutions, such as MITRE in Washington and we are certain that they have been very well designed and guarantee safety for the passengers that use planes and arrive at Mexico City International Airport.

-QUESTION: Dr. Téllez, lastly, You spoke to the President-what sort of mood was he in? He seemed devastated by the death of his friend, rather than of his Secretary.

-ANSWER: Well, Joaquín, I would say that the President has assumed a position of leadership as he does in everything. He is obviously very sad and distressed, as we all are, by the death of a friend and colleague, by the death of an exemplary Mexican who devoted his life to working for our country.

I would like to tell the public that all of us in President Calderón's cabinet, particularly President Calderón, felt great respect and affection for Juan Camilo Mouriño, and his death will be a great loss for all of us and our country.

-QUESTION: Thank you very much, Dr. Téllez. Luis Téllez, Secretary of Communications and Transport