Terrifying moment two helicopters carrying reality TV stars smash into each other, 10 people killed | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Tuesday 10 March 2015

Terrifying moment two helicopters carrying reality TV stars smash into each other, 10 people killed

This is the dramatic moment two helicopters crash midair in Argentina, killing 10 people including three French sports stars taking part in a reality TV show. 

The video, shown on Argentinian TV this morning, reveals how one of the aircraft smashes into the other from below while flying over trees in a remote town. Seconds later, both craft plunge to the ground and explode in a ball of flames. 

Champion sailor Florence Arthaud, Olympic gold medal swimmer Camille Muffat and Olympic boxer Alexis Vastin were all killed, along with two Argentine pilots and five other French nationals.

Moments from death: 3 French sports stars - from left, champion sailor Florence Arthaud, Olympic gold medal swimmer Camille Muffat and Olympic boxer Alexis Vastine - are pictured shortly before boarding a helicopter which crashed in Argentina while they were filming a reality TV show

Doomed: Olympians Camille Muffat, centre, Florence Arthaud, second right and Alexis Vastine far right, are pictured with their fellow contestants on their way to film French survival TV show 'Dropped'. Former Arsenal footballer Sylvain Wiltord (centre left) was in the show, but was not on board either of the helicopters

Lucky escape: Former Arsenal and France footballer Sylvain Wiltord (pictured, left, with fellow contestant, Olympic boxer Alexis Vastine) missed the doomed flights because he had been eliminated just the day before

Prosecutors in Paris today opened a manslaughter inquiry as Argentinian police removed the bodies from the wreckage of the helicopters.

Air accident investigators have yet to reveal the cause of the crash, which happened around 5pm local time yesterday. 

The celebrities were taking part in a survival TV series called Dropped for French TV when the crash happened in a rugged mountain range in La Rioja province. 
A cattle farmer has told how he rushed to one of the helicopters to try to rescue survivors, but was beaten back by the heat and smoke. 

David Ocampo said: 'One of the helicopters sounded as if it was firing off shots or experiencing small explosions that were completely out of place.

 There were about five metres between the two of them, but the one in front seemed to stop and that caught my attention.

'The other one smashed into it from behind with its propellor after trying to swerve to avoid it and fell to the ground and exploded. The earth shook when they fell.
'I rushed towards it to see if there were any survivors but it was just a ball of flame. 
'I couldn't see anything really, just smoke and the tail of one of the two helicopters between the bushes.' 

 
Earlier, it emerged today that former Arsenal footballer Sylvain Wiltord missed the doomed flights because he had been voted off the show the day before.  

A statement from local government officials identified the remaining victims as Laurent Sbasnik, Lucie Mei-Dalby, Volodia Guinard, Brice Guilbert and Edouard Gilles, as well as Argentine pilots Juan Carlos Castillo and Roberto Abate. 
The accident happened at around 5pm on Monday shortly after the two aircraft took off in a mountainous region of La Rioja, in Argentina's north west.  

Disel Cuneo, government spokesman for the province, said: 'There are several French nationals among the victims. So far we only know of two Argentine victims.'
There were unconfirmed reports that one of the victims died after jumping out of one of the helicopters seconds before they crashed.

Another provincial spokesman, Horacio Alarcon, said that the two helicopters appeared to have collided during filming. 
'There are no survivors,' he added.

 
Alexis Vastine, a boxer who won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (left) and Florence Arthaud, who won the transatlantic sailing race Route du Rhum in 1990, were also reported to have been killed

Camille Muffat, an Olympic swimmer who won gold in the freestyle at London 2012 and is a former world record holder died in the helicopter crash

Grief: Adriani Vastine (centre) and Alain Vastine (right), the brother and father of Alexis Vastine, weep as they take gather to pay tribute to the Olympic boxer in Pont-Audemer, northwestern France

Culled from UK Daily Mail

58 comments:

AbokiDaWarriBoy said...

Omg... May d soul of d dead RIP

Davido's driver said...

Oh no!

BONARIO NNAGS said...

What a tragedy, may their souls rest in peace.

~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA LUMIA

Unknown said...

This is painful. R.I.P to them

Unknown said...

a.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said...
.
Reality show gone wrong... May the souls of the dead RIP.....
.
.
***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***

Unknown said...

Wow...sad stuff

STARRY LARRY said...

Sad story again, RIP to those that lost their lives

Sylvonce said...

Linda so so bad news today. Wetin na. Jor oo

Unknown said...

This is bad news.....RIP to dead n nx o God 4 d survivors...

dudette said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
dudette said...

But how was that possible!! I pray God console the families...death everywhere smh.. it's well

Unknown said...

So unfortunate. RIP

Unknown said...

This is bad news.....RIP to dead n tnks toGod 4 d survivors...

Unknown said...

So sad. RIP

Unknown said...

Sad!
Rip to the dead
How come they collide
No air traffic or what?

Unknown said...

What is actually happening nah!

Unknown said...

So sad.

Unknown said...

God save us all

Unknown said...

Jeeez, to Bad.. My Condolences..
.
.
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.NOTE: Raise Your Words, Not Your Voice. It Is Rain That Grows Flowers, Not Thunder..

Elodie O. Mbape said...

RIP! What a tragedy! Life is short, death is sure.

Unknown said...

So sad, may their souls RIP.

Jules said...

Sad...may their souls rest in peace. amen!

Unknown said...

painful RIP




#Commenting thru Glo 4G LTE

Unknown said...

painful RIP




#Commenting thru Glo 4G LTE

Otuonye Chidera said...

so sad



INFORMATION YOU HAVE BEING LOOKING FOR IS HERE

Unknown said...

Not again... Another tragic accident. RIP to those that loss their lives. May God save us frm any tragic death.

Anonymous said...

Chai

Anonymous said...

omg! this is sad

bolateethole.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

May deir souls rest in peace. God help us

Unknown said...

So sad! Rip to the dead!!!

sky said...

What a tragedy. May their souls rest in peace, Amen

ary said...

The weather looks okay so it must have being a malfunction or pilot error! Wiltord will be thanking his stars he was voted off just the day before. Too bad!!! If only people saw the future.

Unknown said...

Really sad, may the souls of the departed RIP. Linda take note!

Anonymous said...

What sort of negligence is this?
Why would two coppers be flying at such close range?
Who are the pilots?
This is sad because this could have been easily avoided if they were more careful.

Juleslouis said...

OmG. This is horrific. May their souls rest in peace. The celebrities voted out d day before will have to count their blessings.

knowurway.com said...

Hmmm sad news. May the dead once soul rest in peace. Amen

Unknown said...

Bad news.....may their souls rest in peace.

Unknown said...

Sad. Rip

Unknown said...

Sad. Rip

Unknown said...

So sad. Rip

yawanow said...

Sad and painful

Unknown said...

Sure a sad news, really feel for the family, RIP

janelycious said...

Tragedy! May their souls rest in peace. My prayer is that God should grant their families the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.

Anonymous said...

May all their souls rest in peace

princess said...

So sad! Rip to the dead.

Unknown said...

Dis is vry sad, RIP 2 dem

Chigo said...

Sad news, May their souls RIP

Anonymous said...

This ur english na etike

Debbie Chelsea said...

Dis is painful

AppleofGod'seye said...

Amen!its such a pity

mum jayjay said...

So sad

Anonymous said...

GOD!!WAT CUD VE GONE WRONG???RIP TO DEM....TOMJERRYSWIT

Unknown said...

Rest in peace.

Anonymous said...

Imagine, na war dem dey fight

Ikponwa

Unknown said...

This is so sad.....RIP

annabelvinsaint said...

this is sad.... RIP. it is well

Chikaka said...

Extremely sad. Lucky escape for Wiltord.

Subomi said...

May the souls of the people that died RIP. sad

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