Guerilla Group in Ecuador Hijacks Six

Q U I T O, Ecuador, Oct. 12 -- Colombian guerillas seized a helicopter with 10foreigners aboard from an Ecuadorian oil field in the Amazon jungle today,Ecuador’s vice president said.

Those kidnapped were six Americans, two Frenchmen, a Chilean andan Argentine, military officials said.

Vice President Pedro Pinto told reporters “the kidnapping isconfirmed.”

Pinto said Colombia’s largest guerrilla organization, theRevolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, “have claimedresponsibility saying they carried out the kidnapping, in reprisalfor Plan Colombia.” Plan Colombia is an anti-narcotics initiativebacked by a $1.3 billion U.S. aid package.

A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, saidthe gunmen hijacked the Super Puma helicopter from a camp owned by Spanish-Argentineoil company Repsol-YPF at 4 a.m. in the El Coca region, about 100 miles northeast of thecapital, Quito.

No Comment From U.S. Embassy

The U.S. and French embassies in Quito could notimmediately confirm reports of the kidnapping.

The Ecuadorean Armed Forces and representatives from Repsol-YPF in Quito alsocould not confirm the reports. Ecuador’s Armed Forces said theywould provide further details on the kidnapping within hours.

Last September, another armed group seized oil workers andseveral other people from an area north of the oil field whereThursday’s abduction took place. The last of those hostages werefreed months later, but it was never confirmed if a ransom was paidand the kidnappers were not identified.