"The helicopter departed Base Camp Ayanganna at 09:23 hours [13:23 GMT] today for Arau, carrying three (3) crew members and four (4) passengers … The Guyana Defence Force, in collaboration with private sector aircraft operators, has initiated a Search and Rescue operation to locate a missing GDF Bell 412 Helicopter (8R-AYA)," the defense ministry said in a statement on social media on late Wednesday.
The helicopter transmitted an emergency signal at 11:20 a.m. from "coordinates approximately 30 miles east of Arau on our western border," the statement read.
Last week, Venezuela held a referendum in which almost 96% of the population voted in favor of incorporating the Essequibo region. On Wednesday, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali said that Georgetown was considering Caracas' actions to incorporate Essequibo, which makes up two-thirds of the territory controlled by Guyana, a threat to the country's national security and would raise the issue at the United Nations Security Council.
Venezuela gained independence from Spain in 1845 and recognized Essequibo as part of its sovereign territory. In 1899, however, the United Kingdom filed and won an arbitration claim to recognize Essequibo as part of its then-Caribbean colony of British Guiana. Independent Guyana cited this Arbitral Award in its 2018 International Court of Justice suit against Venezuela, claiming sovereignty over the disputed territory.