France: six people die in helicopter crash in Provence

Six people have died in a helicopter crash in a mountainous area of Provence

Six people have reportedly died in a helicopter crash in a mountainous area of Provence in southeastern France.

The aircraft came down at around 13:40 local time in the Verdon Gorge, an area popular with hikers.

The helicopter, reportedly a Cougar, belonged to aviation company Eurocopter and was on a test flight involving pilots and engineers, officials say.

Witnesses said the helicopter had hit an electricity cable before plunging down onto the river bank.

Six people have died in a helicopter crash in a mountainous area of Provence

Firefighters and a team of climbers were dispatched to the scene, as well as a medically-equipped helicopter.

The helicopter came down in one of Europe’s best known river gorges, which runs 700 m (2,300 ft) deep.

Police spokesman Benoit Gounine told reporters that rescuers had trouble reaching the site.

“The accident happened in a very difficult place to access, which complicates our work,” he said.

Investigations are taking place to determine the cause of the crash.

Diane A. Wade

Diane is a perfectionist. She enjoys searching the internet for the hottest events from around the world and writing an article about it. The details matter to her, so she makes sure the information is easy to read and understand. She likes traveling and history, especially ancient history. Being a very sociable person she has a blast having barbeque with family and friends.