Mexico police chopper missing in storm rescue: Media

MEXICO CITY - Mexican authorities lost contact Thursday with a federal police Black Hawk helicopter that was conducting rescue operations in a village hit by a mudslide, media reported.

The helicopter took a group of people from the devastated southwestern mountain village of La Pintada to another community and contact was lost after that, Televisa reported, citing national public security chief Manuel Mondragon y Kalb.

The broadcaster, citing presidency sources, said the pilot, co-pilot and mechanic were the only passengers. El Universal newspaper said the helicopter may have landed due to bad weather and the crew was unable to radio its base. A government spokesman declined to comment.

Rescue workers on the ground, meanwhile, pulled two bodies from the mudslide in La Pintada, where 68 people were reported missing after the village was devastated by twin storms that slammed the country this week.

Helicopters have evacuated more than 330 people from the village, taking them east to the nearby Pacific resort of Acapulco in Guerrero state. Around 30 decided to stay in the village during the search for the missing.