Major Ramirez Last Communication with JIOC was Reportedly at 4:33 on Thursday Morning
Adran Ramirez
As to the actual communication involving WhatsApp messages, the content of those critical messages will not be released to the public or family for reasons of national security. Minister of National Security Michael Peyrefitte says that there is a limit to what the public can know, but it is established that the last communication was at four-thirty-three in the morning, which is believed to be after the loaded drug plane had landed off the Coastal Road. According to Peyrefitte, after that communication was made, it was expected that the helicopter would return to base. But it was found more than twenty-four hours later in the Gales Point lagoon.
Michael Peyrefitte
Michael Peyrefitte, Minister of National Security
“Once the helicopter lifted off, then as per protocol Major Ramirez communicated directly with JIOC, who were the ones spearheading the mission. At4:18 a.m., Major Ramirez messaged JIOC and says we are here. A series of messages are then exchanged between Major Ramirez and JIOC, which I cannot reveal for the purposes of national security and the security of future operations. The families of the deceased and public may not like that but I plea to you to accept that. I have to strike a balance with what the public wants to know and with what is classified. There is a limit as to what the public can know for the safety of our remaining security officers who sacrifice more than most of us can possibly imagine, much less stomach. Major Ramirez messaged Major Veliz of JIOC at around 4:33 a.m., and then Major Velix responded at around 4:35 a.m., by saying ‘great help, brethren, thanks.’ At this point the specific purpose of the helicopter in the mission had been served and it was expected that the helicopter would return to base. Of note as well, is that when Major Veliz sent that last text message to Major Ramirez, whatsapp message by phone, the usual two ticks that you would see when you send a whatsapp message to indicate that the other person has received and for some people who don’t have their private whatsapp messaging thing turned on, it would turn blue or green to indicate that the person has received it and has read it. Sometimes when you send a message you only see one tick which means that the person didn’t receive it at all, much less read it. That last text that Major Veliz sent to Major Ramirez that says, ‘great help, brethren, Thanks,’ only had one tick indicating that in normal circumstances then Major Ramirez didn’t receive that WhatsApp message. That 4:33 a.m. message from Major Ramirez was the last communication from him. On February 28, 2020, after a search and rescue operation, the destroyed helicopter was sighted at 10:04 a.m. The initial rescue team arrived at 11:06 a.m. to the scene and by 1:46 p.m., all four members of the helicopter team were recovered and pronounced dead by the medical officer on the scene. Once the news of this tragic incident became known, the Hondurans, Mexicans, Americans and British offered their assistance. The Hondurans arrived in Belize on the same day, February 28th and they stayed with us from them until they left Belize March 6th, with a report that I will now produce and distribute for the public. It speaks for itself, along with the ballistics report from our ballistics department in the forensics lab.”
