Helicopter crash in Douro leaves two dead. Pilot rescued, three GNR soldiers remain missing.

A firefighting helicopter with six people on board crashed Friday in the Douro River, Samodynes, Lamego. The plane was carrying five soldiers from the GNR’s Emergency Protection and Assistance Unit (UEPS) and sank. Four soldiers were killed and one was missing. Authorities confirmed that the pilot was rescued alive by a tourist boat with broken legs.

For what? CM It was determined that he was a 44-year-old civilian pilot from the Tras-os-Montes region. Two GNR soldiers were trapped in the submerged helicopter.

The navy confirmed four people were killed and one missing. The search will continue until 9 p.m., according to Rui Silva Lamprei, head of the Northern Department of the Marine Police.

The helicopter pilot is in stable condition and is under medical observation and his life does not appear to be in danger, a hospital source confirmed.

“It’s probably not life-threatening,” he added.

“These three missing persons may be on the shore and need help, we are searching the entire area, all the shores, by air, by land, and also by boats to try to find these three who are missing,” the commander of the Northern Sea Fleet said in a press briefing at 4 p.m. about the three missing persons.

The accident occurred when the helicopter was returning from putting out a fire in Baiao.

“Today, August 30, at 12:36, while participating in operations to extinguish a rural fire raging in Gestaso, in Baiao, a light helicopter for rural firefighting, with operational code H16, crashed, forcing him to abandon the aircraft. means on the Douro River, near the city of Samodaines,” he describes in detail National Office of Emergency Management and Civil Protection (AENPK).

The emergency helicopter, model AS350 – Écureuil, is a light attack helicopter for initial firefighting, operated by HTA Helicópteros, based in Loulé, in the Algarve, but operating from the Armamar resource centre.

There are 122 militants at the site, supported by 29 vehicles and three aircraft. A team of divers is also working at the site. Drones are also being used in the search for the three missing.

Prime Minister Luis Montenegro is already at the scene and will board a boat to reach the sunken helicopter. The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has cancelled a planned visit to Sao Joao da Pesqueira for today and will travel to the site of the helicopter crash on the Douro River, the city council said. Marcelo Rebelo de Souza, in addition to visiting Windoroo, also planned a meeting with Douro winegrowers.

The alarm was received at around 12:30.

The causes of the accident are currently unknown.

A source at the General Aviation and Rail Accidents Authority (GPIAAF) told Lusa that they would send a team to the scene and begin an investigation into the incident.

Update