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Nine killed in plane crash of Mexican politician

14 June 2010 12:58 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Nine people have been killed when a plane belonging to a politician running for governor in a Mexican state crashed, his staff said, AFP reported.

But Roberto Borge, the powerful Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)’s candidate for governor in the state of Quintana Roo, was not aboard at the time, said spokesman Gabriel Mendicutti.

"There were nine people, unfortunately all dead," said Mendicutti. "Roberto Borge was not aboard but we have found the airplane."

Borge is running for office as part of a coalition along with two smaller parties, the Mexican Green Ecology party (PVEM) and the New Alliance party (PANAL).

On Sunday Borge campaigned in rural towns in southern Quintana Roo -- a Mexican state on the eastern side of the Yucatan peninsula -- then flew to the resort town of Cancun, said Mario Castro, a regional campaign coordinator.

Elections are set for July 4 for state governors in 14 Mexican states, including Quintana Roo, amid a wave of violence from battling rival drug cartels.

Borge leads in surveys ahead of the vote, bolstered by the withdrawal of leftist candidate Gregorio Sanchez, charged with links to drug traffickers.

Campaign officials did not say if they knew why the airplane crashed, or if they suspected foul play.