A man perished in the crash of a civil security helicopter on Sunday September 12 near Villard-de-Lans (Isère), announced the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, on Twitter. Five people were on board the aircraft.
“I extend my condolences to the family and colleagues of the civil security mechanic who died in the accident of a helicopter going to work with five people on board. All my support to the great family of civil security and mountain rescue “, wrote the Minister of the Interior. Mr. Darmanin also announced that he would go to the site on Monday “In order to meet the gendarmes and civil security agents”.
“The helicopter mechanic was declared dead despite the care provided by the rescuers”, confirmed the prefecture of Isère in the early evening in a press release. A little earlier, she had announced the crash in a first press release without detailing the results of the accident, the cause of which is currently unknown.
🔴 URGENT Crash of a #protectioncivil helicopter in #villarddelans # cote2000 at the Prey des Prés… https://t.co/Ak2VkuhPXS
An open investigation
The other members of the crew – the pilot, a doctor from the SAMU and two gendarmes from the PGHM (high mountain gendarmerie platoon) – were taken care of by the medical teams and evacuated to the Grenoble University Hospital. One of them presents serious injuries, the others are more slightly affected, specifies the prefecture.
The Grenoble prosecutor’s office opened an investigation and seized the air transport research section, located in Roissy, as well as the Isère gendarmerie group, announced the Grenoble public prosecutor, Eric Vaillant.
Two investigators from the research section are due to arrive at the scene in the evening and will be joined by three others on Monday, he said.
“This evening, the great family of civil security lost one of their heroes. Engaged in intervention in Isère, a mechanic died in the crash of his helicopter. The Nation shares the pain of its relatives. Four of his comrades are injured. Our thoughts are with them ”, reacted the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, on Twitter.
The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, former Member of Parliament for Isère, tweeted on his side: “Upset by the crash of a civil security helicopter in Isère. The healthcare teams are mobilized to take care of the rescuers, some of whom are seriously injured. Support to the PGHM, [au] SAMU, emergencies and civil security. “
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