A fatal incident occurred in France as a police helicopter crashed, resulting in one fatality and two individuals sustaining serious injuries. The crash took place in Bray-Saint-Aignan, Loiret, involving a helicopter belonging to the National Gendarmerie. An extensive emergency response involving 55 firefighters and 44 vehicles was mobilized to the scene for a search and rescue operation.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the tragic loss of a gendarme, Adjutant Dorian Larigaudrie, during a search mission for a missing person. The helicopter, carrying three gendarmes, crashed in the Bray-Saint-Aignan forest. Expressing deep sadness, Nuñez extended condolences to the deceased officer’s family and colleagues, while also offering thoughts and support to the two injured soldiers.
According to a statement from the Loiret prefecture, the pilot and mechanic were in critical condition and taken to Orléans University Hospital, while the third officer succumbed to the crash. The cause of the accident remains unknown at this time. Gendarmerie helicopters typically accommodate one or two pilots and can carry between four to eight passengers.
The local prefect emphasized solidarity with the French National Gendarmerie and highlighted the daily risks faced by uniformed personnel in protecting the public. Investigations into the helicopter crash are ongoing as authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.