Two dead in a helicopter crash in Portugal. A helicopter fell into the Douro River in northern Portugal after returning from a firefighting mission, killing at least two people. The pilot survived the accident, but three others remain missing.
A helicopter crashed in the Lamego district of northern Portugal on Friday, killing at least two persons and leaving three missing.
The helicopter fell into the River Douro on its way back from a firefighting mission near the town of Baiao.
The accident happened just after 12:30 p.m. local time (1130 UTC).
The pilot survived the collision and transported to a hospital with leg injuries.
The president of the National Maritime Authority, Rui Silva Lampreia, told Portuguese media that two remains were recovered from the submerged aircraft.
He stated that airborne and ground searches for the three missing persons were now ongoing. “We’re doing underwater searches around the helicopter and on the banks.”
According to Portugal’s civil protection organization, all five passengers were members of the National Gendarmerie’s Emergency Protection and Rescue Unit (UEPS).
Prime Minister Luis Montengro visited the location of the event.
Authorities have yet to ascertain the cause of the collision. Two dead in a helicopter crash in Portugal
According to the Portuguese daily Jornal de Noticias, tourist activities in the area halted as rescue operations continue.
The search encompassed dozens of first responders, marine police, divers, and two Air Force helicopters.
Courtesy of sdi/nm (AFP, Reuters, LUSA) Also read
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