This is the terrifying moment when a presidential candidate's helicopter plunges from the sky into the Panamanian jungle.
Dimitri Flores, a lawyer running for the 2024 election, averted his death after a chopper crashed to the ground during a flight from Changinola in the north to the City of David.
Footage taken from inside the cockpit shows the aircraft flying over the mountains. It then hit a thick fog that caused the pilot to lose control and crash into a tree.
All six of his passengers on board miraculously escaped, but soon found themselves wounded and trapped in the middle of the Panamanian jungle. .
Flores decided to film a video and share a plea for help on his social media, sparking a massive rescue effort.
Rescuers rescued the group early the next morning after he walked three hours through the rainforest.
In his SOS video, which was uploaded shortly after the crash Wednesday afternoon, Flores can be heard saying: 16} "Jaramillo, brother. We've crashed. We need someone to help us. Please. I'm pretty sure I broke my leg and arm.
"Wow. We are six. Thank God we are alive.”
Flores and another member of the group are shown sitting on chairs thrown out of the helicopter. The scene is shown.
Flores appeared injured because he was holding his arm, while another passenger was left with a large black eye, cuts to his face, and blood on his shirt. 21}
Several of the six passengers suffered broken bones in the crash.
The presidential candidate and his group were forced to spend several hours in the jungle after a rescue helicopter struggled to land.
Flores said in the video: "I am very disappointed with the authorities. They have flown here many times in helicopters. Helicopters cost millions of dollars, but they have never been able to land here.{27
"We have a lot to do for our country."
A Panama National Air and Navy rescue team eventually located the crash site and hiked three hours to reach the group. I was.
Once Flores and his associates were safe and well, locals took to social media to joke about his clever use of video in dramatic situations.
34} Some also asked which cell phone companies politicians use.Flores hopes to resume his campaign for the 2024 election and succeed as an independent candidate.
