Photo credit: Bernandino Hernandez

Mexico was struck by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake Friday prompting government officials to survey the damage in a helicopter. Thirteen officials were on board the helicopter when it crashed and sustained minor injuries but thirteen people on the ground died.

Officials say the helicopter was attempting to land at an airfield in Santiago Jamiltepec when it crash-landed in a field on top of two vehicles. A spokeswoman for the Oaxaca attorney general's office named Lizbeth Hernandez Bravo said the 13 people killed were on the ground and not aboard the aircraft.

Twelve of the victims died at the scene of the crash and one more died later at the hospital. Of the 13 victims, three were children and another fifteen victims were injured. The helicopter was surveying damage from the earthquake which took place <a href="http://www.thegoldwater.com/news/18580-Video-7-5-Magnitude-Earthquake-Rocks-Mexico">Friday and shook many buildings.</a>

Among the officials aboard the helicopter were Mexican Interior Minister Alfonso Navarrete Prida and Oaxaca's governor, Alejandro Murat. The earthquake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale and a 5.9 aftershock followed. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto confirmed the helicopter crashed while landing.

The president of Mexico tweeted, "Unfortunately, people on the ground lost their lives and others were wounded. My condolences to their families and my wishes for a prompt recovery to those injured."

A reporter named Efrain de la Cruz witnessed the crash and said, "A helicopter carrying the governor and the others went down. A helicopter is down, a helicopter is down. Oh my God! It's a military helicopter," he said. "This can't be possible, oh my God."

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Source: http://www.kptv.com/story/37529635/13-killed-in-mexico-after-helicopter-crashes-as-officials-tour-quake-area