At least four people died and three went missing after a helicopter returning from a rescue mission crashed into the River Douro in northern Portugal on Friday. Portugal Prime Minister Luis Montenegro declared a national day of mourning after the tragic incident.
According to officials, the pilot of the chopper was rescued by a tourism boat near the scene and was rushed to the hospital.
The helicopter was carrying a team of five specialists from the Emergency Protection and Relief Unit when the crash occurred in the Lamego area. The chopper was returning after assisting in fighting a fire near Baiao. The crash took place around Friday noon.
🇵🇹 PORTUGAL ▪️ Firefighting helicopter with GNR soldiers crashed into Douro River. Pilot survived, 5 soldiers died (8/30) pic.twitter.com/1xfOw7LzVi
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The victims, aged from 29 to 45, are all members of the Emergency Protection and Rescue Unit (UEPS) of the national gendarmerie, the country’s civil protection authority said in a statement.
The gendarmerie spokesperson Mafalda Almeida said the pilot’s, aged 44, injuries were not severe.
Initially, two bodies were pulled from inside the helicopter, Rui Silva Lampreia, commander of the National Maritime Authority told the media. Later, two more bodies were found near the aircraft’s tail, he added.
Underwater searches around the helicopter and on the banks were conducted to locate the missing bodies. The search for finding the fifth person is also underway.
PM Montenegro travelled to the scene of the crash and assessed the search operation carried out in the region. Maritime police, divers and air force helicopters were working actively to locate the missing bodies.
