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, and two more were found near the tail section of the plane downstream from where it crashed. Four bodies have already been pulled from the river. Three of the victims were aged between 29 and 45 and were originally from Lamego.
The Navy confirmed four people were killed and one missing. The search ended around 9 p.m. and surveillance will remain in place overnight.
The Marine Police have launched an investigation
The Marine Police reported that an investigation will be launched into the plane crash.
A helicopter pilot is stable and under medical supervisionapparently not life-threatening, a hospital source confirmed.
How did it all happen?
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 described 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.
The helicopter broke in two
The helicopter broke into two pieces, and the bodies of two soldiers were found near the tail section of the plane, Northern Maritime Zone Commander Silva Lamprea said.
“The plane broke into two parts, and the other two [ocupantes que ainda não tinham sido detetados] were found near the tail section of the plane downstream from the crash site,” the Navy commander-in-chief explained in a situation report for the media at 19:00.
Of the five soldiers of the GNR’s Emergency Protection and Assistance Unit (UEPS) who were inside the crashed helicopter, one has yet to be found. Two of them were found inside the plane and the other two were found near the tail section of the aircraft.
There were 122 militants at the scene, supported by 29 vehicles and three aircraft. A team of divers also arrived at the scene. Drones are also being used in the search for the missing person.
Montenegro and Marcelo on the spot
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro went to the scene and boarded a boat to reach the sunken helicopter.
President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa cancelled his planned visit to Sao Joao da Pesqueira and went 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 causes of the accident are currently unknown.
A source at the General Aviation and Rail Accidents Branch (GPIAAF) told Lusa that they would send a team to the scene and begin an investigation into the incident.
Author: Sara Carneiro, Paulo Jorge Duarte, Sergio A. Vitorino, Mario Freire, Katarina Cruz, Andreia Churra Pereira And Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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