One individual has passed away, and two others have sustained serious injuries following a police helicopter crash in France.
The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon when the National Gendarmerie’s helicopter crashed in Bray-Saint-Aignan, Loiret, prompting an emergency response. Approximately 55 firefighters and 44 vehicles were dispatched to the scene for a search and rescue operation.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the death of a gendarme, Adjutant Dorian Larigaudrie, during a search mission for a missing person. The helicopter crashed in the Bray-Saint-Aignan forest while on the operation with gendarmes from the Villacoublay gendarmerie air force.
Expressing his deep sadness, Nuñez extended condolences to the deceased gendarme’s family and colleagues and offered thoughts for the two injured soldiers and their families.
A statement from the Loiret prefecture revealed that three gendarmes were on board the helicopter. The pilot and mechanic were rushed to Orléans University Hospital in critical condition, while the third officer tragically lost their life.
The local prefect acknowledged the sacrifice of law enforcement personnel, emphasizing the risks they undertake daily to protect the public. No details regarding the crash’s cause have been disclosed, but the gendarmerie helicopter typically accommodates one or two pilots and up to eight passengers.