International Desk Report:
A firefighter helicopter crashed into a pond while battling a major fire in the Roissy-en-Provence region of France. The helicopter’s two crew members miraculously survived.
The helicopter lost control of its speed while descending to collect water from a local pond on Sunday evening. It immediately sank into the water. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media, showing the helicopter’s wings hitting the water and quickly sinking.
The pilot and a firefighter in the helicopter managed to get out on their own and swim to shore. They were not seriously injured. The French fire service said that a rescue operation was launched immediately after the accident and a replacement helicopter was sent to extinguish the fire.
The local administration said that immediate measures were taken to avoid environmental risks due to the helicopter sinking in the pond. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.