Three French rescuers were killed after a search and rescue helicopter went off the radar in the early morning of Monday and crashed in the flood-affected southern French department of Bouches-du-Rhone, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
"In the evening of 1 December, as the EC145 Civil Security helicopter was heading to Le Luc-et-le-Cannet (Var) for a search and rescue operation, the radio and radars went off. Despite significant search efforts [on land and in the air], the three crew of the helicopter were found dead at 1:30 a.m. [00:30 GMT] near the town of Rove (Bouches-du-Rhone)," the statement read.
⚫️ Ce soir, la famille de la Sécurité civile a perdu 3 des siens. Le DG et les personnels apportent tout leur soutien aux familles et aux collègues du pilote, du mécanicien et du sapeur-pompier décédés dans l'accident de leur hélicoptère.
— Sécurité Civile Fr (@SecCivileFrance) December 2, 2019
Nous rendons hommage à leur #engagement. https://t.co/SFoselZMxZ pic.twitter.com/yIc9Q8zDT1
The ministry added that an investigation would determine the exact circumstances of the accident.
