Bray-Saint-Aignan, France: A French National Gendarmerie helicopter crashed during an operational search mission in the Loiret department on June 7, killing one gendarme and critically injuring two others, French authorities confirmed.
The helicopter went down in the Bray-Saint-Aignan forest, east of Orléans, while participating in a search operation for a missing person. According to the Loiret Prefecture, three gendarmes were on board the aircraft at the time of the accident.
The aircraft involved was a MBB BK 117C-2, commonly known as the Eurocopter EC145 (or Airbus H145 in its modern designation). It belongs to the French National Gendarmerie.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez identified the deceased as Adjutant Dorian Larigaudrie of the Châteauneuf-sur-Loire Gendarmerie Brigade. In a statement, Nuñez said Larigaudrie was taking part in an operational search mission alongside personnel from the Gendarmerie Air Force unit based at Villacoublay when the helicopter crashed.
The two surviving occupants, identified by authorities as the pilot and a mechanic, sustained serious injuries and were evacuated to Orléans University Hospital in critical condition.
Emergency services launched a major response following the accident. Approximately 55 firefighters and 44 emergency vehicles were deployed to the crash site, where rescue teams secured the area and assisted the victims. Authorities have not reported any injuries on the ground. The mission was being conducted as part of a search for a missing person in the region.
The circumstances leading to the crash remain unknown. French authorities have opened an investigation to determine the cause of the accident. No evidence of mechanical failure, adverse weather, or operational issues has been released publicly.
Initial reports circulating on social media and some news outlets suggested multiple fatalities. However, subsequent statements from French authorities confirmed that one gendarme was killed while two others survived with critical injuries.
The crash has prompted tributes from senior French officials. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez expressed condolences to the family, colleagues, and loved ones of the deceased officer, while local authorities paid tribute to the work of France’s emergency and security personnel.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional details regarding the aircraft, mission profile, and cause of the crash are expected to be released by French authorities in the coming days.
