La Paz, Apr 23 (IANS/EFE): Eight people, including opposition Senator Gerald Ortiz, were killed in two separate plane crashes in Bolivia, officials said.

The senator died along with his father, Luis Ortiz, who was flying the plane, and mechanic Mario Torres when their aircraft went down near Viru Viru international airport in the eastern city of Santa Cruz, Senate President Gabriela Montano said.

The lawmaker, who was a professional pilot, was chairman of the Senate International Relations Committee.

The senator's son, Alex Ortiz, survived the crash, Montano said.

Search teams, meanwhile, found the bodies Saturday of five people who died when a small plane crashed in southeastern Bolivia, the air force said.

Military search teams recovered the bodies of pilot Edgar Antelo, co-pilot Daniel Jordan and passengers Oscar Holguin, Javier Flores and Wilson Pilco, the commander of the 3rd Air Brigade in Santa Cruz, Gen. Leopoldo Molina, told EFE.

The victims were employed by a construction company and died while conducting an aerial inspection of a highway, the general said.