One individual has passed away, and two others sustained severe injuries following a police helicopter crash in France.
The incident occurred in the town of Bray-Saint-Aignan, Loiret, where a National Gendarmerie helicopter crashed. The emergency response included 55 firefighters and 44 vehicles deployed to the scene for a search and rescue operation.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the death of a gendarme during a search mission for a missing person. The deceased was identified as Adjutant Dorian Larigaudrie from the Châteauneuf-sur-Loire gendarmerie brigade.
Expressing his condolences, Nuñez expressed deep sadness over the loss and extended sympathies to the family and colleagues of the deceased. He also shared thoughts for the two injured soldiers and their families.
According to a statement from the Loiret prefecture, the helicopter had three gendarmes aboard. The pilot and mechanic were rushed to the Orléans University Hospital in critical condition, while the third officer tragically passed away.
The cause of the crash is yet to be determined. The gendarmerie helicopter typically accommodates one or two pilots and can carry between four to eight passengers.