A Russian businessman and a pilot died, on Friday, when a civilian helicopter flying from Switzerland to Monaco crashed in southern France, officials announced.
A regional official pointed out that “two bodies were recovered” after the accident, which occurred near the city of Nice at around 2:00 pm.
The victims were identified as the pilot of the helicopter, operated by private company Monacair, and the passenger, a businessman who was "a Russian national with a Maltese passport", according to the statement.
Monacair told AFP that another expected passenger on the flight from Lausanne to Monaco “cancelled at the last minute.”
The pilot, who was in his early thirties, “did his entire training in the region and knew it very well,” it said, adding that the helicopter was extremely modern.
Rescue services noted that more than 50 emergency workers were sent to the crash site along with air transport police, adding that there was no risk of wildfire.
Follow the latest news on Google News
