Four people died in a helicopter crash on Tuesday, October 31, in the Salazie cirque. The aircraft crashed into the bed of the Rivière du Mât at the Wickers plateau. Update on this drama.
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This Tuesday, October 31, a Robinson 44 helicopter crashed in the Salazie cirque. All four people on board died. Meeting La 1time takes stock of this drama.
In the Salazie cirque around 9:15 a.m., several witnesses saw a helicopter in difficulty.
At the same time, the pilot of the aircraft reportedly called for help to report a loss of speed due to a blade rotation failure. A few minutes later, the helicopter crashes.
The crash occurred around 9:30 a.m., a little before the Wickers plateau, near the Salazie Paintball. The aircraft would have hit a rock wall before Morin Island, on the left bank of the Rivière du Mât.
Around 10 a.m., the debris of the device was located by emergency services, a little before the Wickers plateau, near the Salazie Paintball. The crash site is inaccessible on foot. Rescue workers and investigators were dropped off there by helicopter.
Look at the details of Réunion La 1ère:
Four people died in helicopter crash in Salazie
According to our information, the pilot and the three passengers who were on board died. Two women and two men.
The pilot is quickly identified. This is Lionel Caro, the director of the Akoatis park in Etang-Salé, well known on the island.
The helicopter was a Robinson 44 rented by the pilot from the Hélilagon company.
It was probably heading towards the Iron Hole, because it was on the classic route taken by pilots to access the site when the sky is clear.
This was the case this morning in Salazie where the weather was excellent. The pilots enter through the Bras de Caverne while flying over Bois de Pomme and exit through the 4,000 window.
Look at the details of Réunion La 1ère:
Helicopter crash in Salazie: live from Henri Claude Elma
Around thirty SDIS personnel, eight vehicles and 35 gendarmerie soldiers were employed at the crash site.
A command post was set up at the Bois de Pomme stadium.
The Saint-Denis judicial prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation.
Doctors, men from criminal identification and the BGTA, Air Transport Gendarmerie Brigade, are still at the scene of the crash.