An issue with the helicopter's tail rotor caused the aircraft to act erratically and prompted the pilot to make an emergency landing in the Bolivian town of Colquiri at around 12:48 p.m. local time, according to a statement from Bolivia's Air Force.
El helicóptero en el cual estaba Evo Morales debió aterrizar de urgencia luego de despegar, como muestra el video. El presidente está ileso. #4Nov pic.twitter.com/6v4trla2Et
— Marco Teruggi (@Marco_Teruggi) November 4, 2019
Vean otra toma del aterrizaje del aterrizaje de emergencia de Evo Morales. El presidente ya está en La Paz trabajando, haciendo frente a un intento de golpe de Estado. #4Nov pic.twitter.com/PydgtSyUQM
— Marco Teruggi (@Marco_Teruggi) November 4, 2019
The Air Force confirmed soon after that no one was injured, and the exact cause of the rotor issue is under investigation.
#LoÚltimo: Helicóptero del presidente boliviano Evo Morales realizó este mediodía un aterrizaje de emergencia cuando transportaba al mandatario desde la localidad de Colqiri hacia Oruro, en el centro occidente del país. pic.twitter.com/gf9gc3DuHk
— Telenoticias21 GMV (@TN21sv) November 4, 2019
Witnesses told the Agencia de Noticias Fides that the helicopter fell to the ground from approximately "15 meters high" during the landing.
Morales, the 80th president of Bolivia, has served as the country's leader since 2006 and recently won reelection with 47.08% of the vote.
While Bolivian law does not require a runoff, as the head of the Movement to Socialism beat his main opponent Carlos Mesa by more than a 10% difference, the opposition leader did not immediately accept the results.
Morales has fired back at assertions that his win was unjust and denounced related claims as an attempt to carry out a coup.
"A warning ... to all the people of Bolivia and the various social sectors that are preparing to carry out a coup d'etat this week: we have already been informed," he said.
The Organization of American States has since began auditing the election's results.
