Mexican interior minister killed in helicopter crash

MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – Mexican Interior Minister  Francisco Blake was killed in a helicopter crash today, a  blow to the government as it fights powerful drug cartels.
Television images showed the scattered wreckage of the  helicopter on a hillside south of the capital and the  government confirmed Blake and the seven others on board were  killed. It gave no reason for the crash.
Mexico is locked in a brutal conflict against drug cartels  that has killed 45,000 people in the last five years and Blake  was a key member of President Felipe Calderon’s security team.
Mexico City mayor Marcelo Ebrard said bad weather may have  been responsible for the crash. Speculation could arise that  foul play was involved but there has been no indication of this  so far.
He is the second interior minister in Calderon’s presidency  to be killed in an aircraft crash. The previous one three years  earlier was declared an accident.