Colombia plane crash pilot was facing trial for military desertion in Bolivia when disaster killed 19 members of Brazil’s Chapecoense football team
Pilot Miguel Quiroga was one of four men who 'suddenly' went AWOL during training
THE pilot of the plane which crashed killing 19 members of the Chapecoense football team last Monday was facing trial in his native Bolivia for military desertion.
Bolivian Ministry of Defence officials said Miguel Quiroga, 36, only escaped detention after winning an appeal against a arrest warrant issued when he left the country’s Armed Forces without permission.
The country’s Defence Minister Reymi Ferreira said Quiroga and four other men were being prosecuted after going AWOL before their indentures were up.
He said: “They received professional training in which the Bolivian state invested money and suddenly, halfway through that training they left instead of fulfilling the agreement they had signed and allowing the Bolivian Armed Forces to benefit from the knowledge and skills they had acquired.”
He added: “Mr Quiroga, the pilot of the plane that crashed, was facing trial and even had an arrest warrant issued against him.”
Miguel’s father-in-law Roger Molina issued a TV apology to the relatives of the plane crash at the weekend after it emerged the airplane embarked with barely enough fuel to complete its journey from the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz to Medellin in Colombia.
Brazilian pilots have strongly criticised charter airline LaMia for apparently taking unacceptable risks, with one accusing the pilot of mass murder.
Devastated Chapecoense player Moises Santos, who missed the doomed flight because of a knee injury, said Quiroga had destroyed “many families” and claimed his friends “were assassinated.”
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Bolivia’s aviation authority has suspended the operation of LaMia airline while they investigate.
Brazilians’ anger and frustration has been compounded by media reports that Quiroga was also a partner in LaMia, leading to speculation that he did not stop to refuel to save money.
Seventy-one of the 77 people on board the plane died after it crashed in hills near Medellin on November 28.
As well as 22 players, 23 coaching and other club staff, two guests and 21 journalists were on board.
Two of the nine crew members, three players and one journalist survived.
Chapecoense defender Helio Neto, one of the three surviving players, was said to be in a “critical” condition as of Tuesday.
The Brazilian side was this week awarded the Copa Sudamericana, the South American equivalent of the Europa League, by regional football confederation Conmebol.
Colombian opponents Atletico Nacional, who asked for Chapecoense to be awarded the trophy, have been given a Fair Play award.