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Photo: Yedioth Ahronoth archive
Moises Saba
Photo: Yedioth Ahronoth archive
No survivors
Photo: Reuters

Mexico: Jewish tycoon killed in helicopter crash

Powerful executive Moises Saba Masri dies along with five other people, including at least two members of his family, on outskirts of Mexico City

A Mexican business tycoon was killed along with at least two members of his family in a helicopter crash on the outskirts of Mexico City on Sunday night, emergency officials said.

 

Moises Saba Masri, a powerful executive with interests ranging from telecoms to real estate, died along with five other people including the pilot, said Elias Moreno, the head of the city's emergency services.

 

The Saba family is a wealthy Jewish family in Mexico that owns a number of companies in telecom and pharmaceuticals. Saba once entered negotiations to acquire Israel's Channel 10, but the deal ultimately did not go through.  


Rescuers at the scene of the crash (Photo: AFP)

 

"Apparently it was bad weather," Moreno said on Formato 21 radio. Mexico City has experienced unusually cold weather and foggy conditions for the past several days.

 

Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard was at the scene of the crash in a wooded area on the edge of Mexico's sprawling capital along with Saba's relatives and members of the close-knit Jewish community, the radio said.


Saba family with former US President Bill Clinton (photo courtesy of ZAKA)

 

Masri, with important holdings in Mexican telecom company Unefon and broadcaster TV Azteca , was cleared on fraud charges brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission in 2008.

 

The Saba family lost a fierce bidding war against US bank Citigroup in 2007 to buy money-losing airline Aeromexico

  

The Sabas also control pharmaceutical company Grupo Casa Saba .

 

Zaka Spokesman Moti Bukchin said the rescue organization would send out a delegation Monday afternoon to Mexico via the United States in order to assist in identifying the bodies of the victims. The delegation will be joined by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's son, Rabbi David Yosef, as the personal delegate of the Shas leader.

 

Yiftah Nenner and Jonathan Weber contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.11.10, 08:06
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