Two dead as police helicopter crashes in Mexico City
     MEXICO CITY - Feb 25, 1998 4:48 p.m. EST -- A police helicopter
 crashed in a hilly Mexico City neighborhood Wednesday, killing two
 people and injuring several others, local media reported.
     The accident occurred after a rope became entangled in the heli-
 copter's rotors during a training exercise at a police academy, the
 radio station Formato 21 quoted police investigators as saying.
     One policeman and a person identified by the government news
 agency Notimex as a gardener died when the helicopter fell about
 60 feet to the ground.
     Police said both crew members on the Bell 212 were injured in
 the crash, as well as one of three rescue workers aboard at the
 time.
     The 14-seat helicopter was practicing maneuvers used in the
 retrieval of injured people and emergency evacuations when the
 crash occurred.
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 Continental Airlines, pilots union reach tentative contract agreement
     HOUSTON - Feb 25, 1998 2:06 p.m. EST -- After a week of round-
 the-clock negotiations, Continental Airlines and its pilots union
 have arrived at a possible agreement on a new five-year contract, a
 union spokesman said Wednesday.
     Jim Moody, spokesman for the Independent Association of Conti-
 nental Pilots, said he did not yet know details of the agreement,
 and a spokesman for the airline did not return a call.
     The agreement is still subject to approval by the union.
     The New York Times reported Wednesday that the deal would pro-
 tect Continental's 4,400 pilots in the event that Northwest and the
 Houston-based airline fully merge.
     Last month, Northwest agreed to acquire a controlling stake in
 Continental for $519 million, allowing the two airlines to coordi-
 nate flight routes and combine frequent-flier programs.
     But Continental pilots had questioned the alliance, fearing it
 would lead to a full-scale merger and threaten job security provis-
 ions such as what routes they fly and how often they fly.
     "We were trying to make sure no pilots lost their jobs as the
 result of such contracts and that pilots continue to have job ex-
 pansion and growth," said Moody. "They achieved some level of
 success. I think everybody's pretty relieved."
     In addition to job protection, the contract agreement also
 offers Continental pilots an opportunity to share in some of the
 profits that may result from the alliance with Northwest, the
 Times reported.
     Contract negotiations began in April. Last fall, both sides
 agreed on economic issues that would increase pilots' pay by about
 50 percent over the duration of the contract.
     Separate negotiations are being held for the approximately 700
 pilots at Continental Express, Continental's regional subsidiary,
 Moody said.
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