Cyclic Hotline
2nd Feb 2001, 04:45
Sincere condolences to the family and colleagues of Ron Sanders. This is a tragic and un-necessary loss of life.
On 12 October, 10 hostages were taken from an onshore drilling operation in Ecuador. Amongst the hostages were 4 crewmembers of an Erickson Aircrane S64 Skycrane helicopter.
The US State department has been conducting negotiations, and in the interests of the safety of their crews, Erickson has made no statements regarding the efforts to secure the release of their personnel. Last reports, indicated a ransom of $80 million dollars.
Thoughts are with the individuals, families and colleagues of those still held captive. Let us hope that this matter be resolved safely and expeditiously.
Thursday February 1 6:15 PM ET
Ecuador Hostage From U.S. Dead in Amazon
By Amy Taxin
QUITO, Ecuador (Reuters) - An American who was one of 10 foreign oil workers kidnapped and held for ransom in Ecuador's Amazon jungle region last October was found shot to death on Wednesday, authorities said on Thursday.
Officials said the body of a man found in jungle brush near Lago Agrio, some 10 miles south of the Andean nation's border with Colombia, was that of Ronald Clay Sander, 54, an employee for 24 years of Helmerich & Payne, a Tulsa, Oklahoma-based drilling company.
Police said Sander had been shot. They said his body was draped in a white blanket reading, "I'm a gringo. for nonpayment of the kidnapping of company HP Pompeya DG.''
Helmerich & Payne Chief Executive Hans Helmerich said in a statement, "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Ron Sander and extend our deepest sympathy and prayers to his family and friends.''
The company said that Sander and another of its employees had been among the eight workers still being held hostage after last October's kidnapping. It said it had been negotiating for their release, along with certain other companies, for nearly four months.
Five U.S. citizens were among the hostages, along with an Argentine, a New Zealander and a Chilean. Two Frenchmen escaped a few days after they were kidnapped.
Interior Minister Juan Manrique said in a telephone interview that "a clandestine group holding the hostages is negotiating directly with the oil companies. They don't consent to pay the amount asked for the captives.''
An oil industry source said the kidnappers had sought a total ransom of $80 million for the hostages.
"This is a very serious and very delicate situation,'' Manrique said. "The government deplores this killing and we are doing everything possible to take actions to this effect.''
The U.S. Embassy in Quito said in a statement that it ''demands the immediate and unconditional freedom of those who still remain kidnapped.'' The embassy's official policy is not to negotiate with kidnappers.
U.S. To Work Closely With Ecuador
In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said, "The United States will continue to work closely with the government of Ecuador to gain the release of remaining hostages and bring to justice the perpetrators of this horrible crime.''
The United States assumed that the other hostages remained alive, he added.
Ecuador, a nation of 12.4 million people, initially accused Colombia's biggest guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), of the crime, but FARC leaders immediately denied involvement.
The government has retracted the accusation and attributed the act to common criminals, probably from Ecuador and Colombia.
In 1999, 12 foreigners working for a Canadian oil firm in Ecuador's Amazon region were kidnapped by an unidentified group and released unharmed three months later. No one claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.
Violence is not new to Ecuador's Sucumbios province, just across the border from Colombia's coca-growing Putumayo province, the scene of frequent FARC and paramilitary combat.
Just three weeks ago, the Ecuadorean military found a FARC campsite on the Ecuadorean side of the border where uniforms were being made. The military also reported a shootout between FARC and Colombian paramilitary members outside a bar near Lago Agrio that killed two.
In December, Ecuador's only oil pipeline suffered two bomb attacks in Sucumbios, the second killing five people traveling on a bus through the area.
From the Medford Mail Tribune. Oregon.
Captive killed in Ecuador
Erickson says victim wasn’t one of its local employees
By Melissa Martin
One of the eight men being held captive in Ecuador has been found dead — the victim is an American but is not one of the four Erickson Air-Crane Inc. employees, an official of the Central Point company said.
"Erickson expresses its sorrow to the family and friends of all the victims," company spokesman Dennis Hubbard wrote in a press release distributed Wednesday. "We urge the kidnappers to end this abduction and safely release the remaining seven captives immediately."
No one from Erickson was available for comment Wednesday evening.
The mother of one hostage expressed her sadness at the news.
"It sounds like it’s getting serious," said Leona Derry, the mother of Steve Derry, one of three Gold Hill men being held.
Derry, Jason Weber and Arnold Alford, all helicopter mechanics with Erickson Air-Crane, were among 10 foreign workers kidnapped Oct. 12 while working in the oil fields in Ecuador’s Amazon jungle. Two hostages, both French pilots, escaped to safety a week later.
The kidnappers have reportedly demanded ransom payments from Erickson Air-Crane, a newspaper in Quito reported. And military groups in Ecuador have been searching the jungles for the hostage camp.
"All we can do is keep hoping and praying they come home safe," said Diane Combs, a Gold Hill resident and friend of one of the hostages.
Community members have waited patiently as information on the hostages’ welfare and the status of negotiations trickles out.
"We want the families and communities to know that Erickson management, both in South America and Oregon, work on this issue every day in cooperation with the affected companies, relevant agencies of the United States government and Ecuadorian authorities to bring about a peaceful resolution," Hubbard wrote.
"We must, however, continue to recognize that the kidnappers control the clock, and only the kidnappers can bring about the peaceful resolution we seek. We renew our appeal to the kidnappers to end this abduction now by safely releasing the seven victims immediately."
"Erickson acknowledges the concerns of the community that the ‘lack of information’ about this situation brings about questions of whether enough is being done. We want to assure everyone that Erickson is doing everything it can to resolve this situation," Hubbard wrote.
"Erickson believes that we would be ill-advised to comment on specific details of events and circumstances because it would compromise the safety of the captives or prolong the situation."
On 12 October, 10 hostages were taken from an onshore drilling operation in Ecuador. Amongst the hostages were 4 crewmembers of an Erickson Aircrane S64 Skycrane helicopter.
The US State department has been conducting negotiations, and in the interests of the safety of their crews, Erickson has made no statements regarding the efforts to secure the release of their personnel. Last reports, indicated a ransom of $80 million dollars.
Thoughts are with the individuals, families and colleagues of those still held captive. Let us hope that this matter be resolved safely and expeditiously.
Thursday February 1 6:15 PM ET
Ecuador Hostage From U.S. Dead in Amazon
By Amy Taxin
QUITO, Ecuador (Reuters) - An American who was one of 10 foreign oil workers kidnapped and held for ransom in Ecuador's Amazon jungle region last October was found shot to death on Wednesday, authorities said on Thursday.
Officials said the body of a man found in jungle brush near Lago Agrio, some 10 miles south of the Andean nation's border with Colombia, was that of Ronald Clay Sander, 54, an employee for 24 years of Helmerich & Payne, a Tulsa, Oklahoma-based drilling company.
Police said Sander had been shot. They said his body was draped in a white blanket reading, "I'm a gringo. for nonpayment of the kidnapping of company HP Pompeya DG.''
Helmerich & Payne Chief Executive Hans Helmerich said in a statement, "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Ron Sander and extend our deepest sympathy and prayers to his family and friends.''
The company said that Sander and another of its employees had been among the eight workers still being held hostage after last October's kidnapping. It said it had been negotiating for their release, along with certain other companies, for nearly four months.
Five U.S. citizens were among the hostages, along with an Argentine, a New Zealander and a Chilean. Two Frenchmen escaped a few days after they were kidnapped.
Interior Minister Juan Manrique said in a telephone interview that "a clandestine group holding the hostages is negotiating directly with the oil companies. They don't consent to pay the amount asked for the captives.''
An oil industry source said the kidnappers had sought a total ransom of $80 million for the hostages.
"This is a very serious and very delicate situation,'' Manrique said. "The government deplores this killing and we are doing everything possible to take actions to this effect.''
The U.S. Embassy in Quito said in a statement that it ''demands the immediate and unconditional freedom of those who still remain kidnapped.'' The embassy's official policy is not to negotiate with kidnappers.
U.S. To Work Closely With Ecuador
In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said, "The United States will continue to work closely with the government of Ecuador to gain the release of remaining hostages and bring to justice the perpetrators of this horrible crime.''
The United States assumed that the other hostages remained alive, he added.
Ecuador, a nation of 12.4 million people, initially accused Colombia's biggest guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), of the crime, but FARC leaders immediately denied involvement.
The government has retracted the accusation and attributed the act to common criminals, probably from Ecuador and Colombia.
In 1999, 12 foreigners working for a Canadian oil firm in Ecuador's Amazon region were kidnapped by an unidentified group and released unharmed three months later. No one claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.
Violence is not new to Ecuador's Sucumbios province, just across the border from Colombia's coca-growing Putumayo province, the scene of frequent FARC and paramilitary combat.
Just three weeks ago, the Ecuadorean military found a FARC campsite on the Ecuadorean side of the border where uniforms were being made. The military also reported a shootout between FARC and Colombian paramilitary members outside a bar near Lago Agrio that killed two.
In December, Ecuador's only oil pipeline suffered two bomb attacks in Sucumbios, the second killing five people traveling on a bus through the area.
From the Medford Mail Tribune. Oregon.
Captive killed in Ecuador
Erickson says victim wasn’t one of its local employees
By Melissa Martin
One of the eight men being held captive in Ecuador has been found dead — the victim is an American but is not one of the four Erickson Air-Crane Inc. employees, an official of the Central Point company said.
"Erickson expresses its sorrow to the family and friends of all the victims," company spokesman Dennis Hubbard wrote in a press release distributed Wednesday. "We urge the kidnappers to end this abduction and safely release the remaining seven captives immediately."
No one from Erickson was available for comment Wednesday evening.
The mother of one hostage expressed her sadness at the news.
"It sounds like it’s getting serious," said Leona Derry, the mother of Steve Derry, one of three Gold Hill men being held.
Derry, Jason Weber and Arnold Alford, all helicopter mechanics with Erickson Air-Crane, were among 10 foreign workers kidnapped Oct. 12 while working in the oil fields in Ecuador’s Amazon jungle. Two hostages, both French pilots, escaped to safety a week later.
The kidnappers have reportedly demanded ransom payments from Erickson Air-Crane, a newspaper in Quito reported. And military groups in Ecuador have been searching the jungles for the hostage camp.
"All we can do is keep hoping and praying they come home safe," said Diane Combs, a Gold Hill resident and friend of one of the hostages.
Community members have waited patiently as information on the hostages’ welfare and the status of negotiations trickles out.
"We want the families and communities to know that Erickson management, both in South America and Oregon, work on this issue every day in cooperation with the affected companies, relevant agencies of the United States government and Ecuadorian authorities to bring about a peaceful resolution," Hubbard wrote.
"We must, however, continue to recognize that the kidnappers control the clock, and only the kidnappers can bring about the peaceful resolution we seek. We renew our appeal to the kidnappers to end this abduction now by safely releasing the seven victims immediately."
"Erickson acknowledges the concerns of the community that the ‘lack of information’ about this situation brings about questions of whether enough is being done. We want to assure everyone that Erickson is doing everything it can to resolve this situation," Hubbard wrote.
"Erickson believes that we would be ill-advised to comment on specific details of events and circumstances because it would compromise the safety of the captives or prolong the situation."