The governor of the Mexican state of Puebla Martha Erika Alonso and her husband Rafael Moreno Valle, a former governor and senator, died in a helicopter crash on Christmas Eve, as confirmed by Mexican authorities. The two pilots, Captain Roberto Cope and first officer Marco Antonio Tavera, and a third passenger also died.
The couple died when their Agusta 109 helicopter went down near the town of Santa María Coronango on Monday evening, 10 minutes after taking off from a heliport within the city of Puebla on a flight to Mexico City.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed reports of the tragedy.
The reasons for the crash are still unknown.
Martha Erika Alonso had been in office for only 10 days: she was sworn in on December 14. Her husband Rafael Moreno Valle was governor between 2011 and 2017 and was a member of the Mexican Senate.