“The helicopters collided. There were three army personnel in one and two in the other. All are dead,” police said in the nearby town of Brignoles, adding that one body had still to be recovered from the wreckage. The Var region prefecture said the helicopters from the army’s light aviation division were from a school based at Cannet-des-Maures.
/ AFP PHOTO / Anne-Christine POUJOULAT
MARSEILLE, France (AFP) — Five people were killed Friday after two army helicopters crashed near the southern French resort town of Saint-Tropez, police said.
“The helicopters collided. There were three crew in one and two in the other. All are dead,” police said in the nearby town of Brignoles, adding that one body had still to be recovered from the wreckage.
The Var region prefecture said two army aviation service helicopters based at nearby Cannet-des-Maures collided near Carces lake about 50 kilometres (30 miles) northwest of Saint-Tropez.
Some 20 troops joined two rescue helicopters and a police chopper at the crash scene, along with local officials.
© Agence France-Presse