PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Seven dead in helo crash in France tonight (20th June 09)
Old 21st Jun 2009, 08:42
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flyer43
 
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Two links to news articles - the first in French, the second by Reuters in India!

French press release

Reuters

The french story makes rather gruesome reading as it says that 5 of the dead were decapitated. It also says that the weather at the time of the accident was good.

Here is a translation of the French report:-

Seven occupants of a private helicopter were killed early Saturday evening in the crash of their aircraft on Mount Cordon near Brégnier-Cordon, in Ain, according to firefighters, the police and the prefecture.

The helicopter belongs to the Helicopters Azur.

The accident occurred around 19:00 when the helicopter, on its first flight from the Walibi park, crashed for unknown reasons in a steep and uninhabited area, said the same sources.

The victims were the pilot of the helicopter and six employees of the park on leave, who had taken advantage of the flight.

Five of the victims were decapitated in the accident, according to firefighters.

"A witness gave the alert. He saw the blue and white helicopter flying at low altitude before losing sight, and then heard a bang and had a strong smell of kerosene," said Frédéric Bertin, an officer in the Operations Center Départemental of 'Fire and Rescue (CODIS).

"The weather at the time of the accident was generally good. The aircraft crashed without catching fire, "said Didier Doré, the sub-prefect of Belley in Ain, who visited the location.

"The whole of Bourg-en-Bresse is seized by the case and the investigation is ongoing to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy, he added.

Fifty firefighters from the Ain, Isère and Savoie, aboard a dozen trucks went to the scene of the accident.

They were supported by as many men from the gendarmerie and from the aviation fire service.

Helicopters Axur, which has a hangar at the Lyon-Bron airport, did not wish to comment.

Brégnier-Cord is located 20km south of Belley

Last edited by flyer43; 21st Jun 2009 at 09:04. Reason: Edited to add translation of French press report
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