Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / EUROPE
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Sunday, 7 January 2007, 21:38 GMT

Helicopter hits French restaurant

Scene of the crash site near Arles A helicopter has crashed into the garden of a restaurant in southern France, killing three people and severely injuring a fourth.

The Alouette 2 helicopter crashed at the Chez Bob restaurant on a road between Salin-de-Giraud and Arles, in the Camargue region.

Two of the dead were decapitated while the injured woman had her leg severed, rescuers said.

The four people on board the helicopter were unhurt.

In shock

Police sources told Reuters news agency the helicopter was carrying guests who had been at a lunch at the restaurant.

Their dining companions had walked up the garden to bid them farewell when the helicopter came down, the sources said.

Two of the dead were parents. Their five-year-old daughter was at the scene but was unhurt.

A witness told AFP news agency: "The pilot is very shocked. He explained that the helicopter seemed to fail and he was unable to steady it."



E-mail this to a friend

SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©