The helicopter crashed while taking off on August 27 afternoon after the soldiers had carried out a foot patrol in search of the suspected traffickers, one of whom was caught, General Luis Alfredo Dominguez told Venezuela state television.

"This is a lamentable accident and the whole National Guard family and the people of Venezuela are in mourning," Dominguez said.

He did not say if there were any survivors.

Venezuela is a major route for Colombian cocaine headed to Europe and the United States. Much of its 1,375-mile (2,200-km) border with Colombia is rugged terrain where leftist guerrillas, drug traffickers and paramilitary fighters are active.