UN SPOKESMAN ON DEATH OF SPANISH UN OFFICER NEAR MOSTAR

MEDJUGORJE, Dec 4 (HABENA/Hina) - An officer of the Spanish UNPROFOR Battalion was killed and another seriously wounded by a landmine laid near the Salakovac dam on the Neretva river (20 km northeast of Mostar) on the Moslem-controlled territory at 11:30 hours on Saturday, said the spokesman for the Spanish UNPROFOR Battalion based in Medjugorje, Lieutenant-Colonel Antonio Castro. The incident occurred during their patrol when a mine exploded under the body of Captain Fernando Alvarez Rodriguez, 33, and wounded Corporal Jorge Fernandez Sanchez in the leg. The Spanish patrol set out to reconnoitre a bridge at Bijela in the morning. Lt. Col. Castro said that Spanish peacekeepers came under fire from a yet unidentified direction as they tried to pull their comrades out. The wounded soldier was urgently taken to a Spanish Battalion hospital at Dracevo, from where he will be flown to Spain. The mortal remains of Capatain Rodriguez were transported to Metkovic, Croatia, from where they will be taken by helicopter to Split, and then to Spain by plane. 042138 MET dec 93