- Joined
- Sep 7, 2010
- Messages
- 13,899
- Location
- Spain
Five people have died and one is missing after a helicopter returning from a firefighting mission crashed into the River Douro in northern Portugal, authorities said.
The pilot was rescued alive by a tourism boat near the scene and was taken to a hospital with leg fractures.
Aside from the pilot, the helicopter was carrying a team of five specialists from the Emergency Protection and Relief Unit when it crashed in the Lamego area.
"Two bodies were inside the aircraft and another two were found near the tail of the aircraft, which was broken in two," A fifth was found hours later in the river.
The victims, all men, aged from 29 to 45, are all members of the Emergency Protection and Rescue Unit, the country's civil protection authority said in a communique.
The crash happened just after 12:30pm while the helicopter was returning from fighting a fire near Baiao, just inland from the city of Porto.
The cause of the accident is yet to be established.
Antonio Jorge Teixeira 36
Daniel Pereira, 35
Fabio Pereira 34
Pedro Jesus Santos 45
Tiago Pereira 29
Pilot Luis Rebelo 44 (Survivor)