This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/11/world/europe/france-olympians-helicopter-crash-dropped.html

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
France Mourns Athletes Killed in Helicopter Crash in Argentina French Athletes Killed in Argentina Helicopter Crash Are Mourned
(about 3 hours later)
PARIS — Political leaders and the French sports world reacted with shock and grief on Tuesday to the deaths of three prominent athletes in a helicopter crash in Argentina, including the gold-medalist swimmer Camille Muffat and the transoceanic sailor Florence Arthaud. PARIS — Florence Arthaud had competed in solo trans-Atlantic sailing races at the age of 20. Camille Muffat captured three swimming medals at the 2012 London Olympics, including in the grueling 400 freestyle. Alexis Vastine had fought his way to a bronze medal in boxing at the Beijing Games four years earlier.
The athletes were among 10 people killed Monday night when two helicopters collided during the filming of a reality television show, “Dropped,” in which contestants are taken to remote areas and try to find their way back to civilization. Late on Monday, all three French athletes were onboard two helicopters heading into a remote gorge in northwestern Argentina for the filming of a reality show, “Dropped,” in which they would be left to fend for themselves and find their way back to civilization.
The office of the French president, François Hollande, confirmed the deaths of Ms. Muffat, Ms. Arthaud and the Olympic boxer Alexis Vastine in a statement overnight, adding, “The sudden death of our compatriots is an immense sadness.” But a some point, perhaps soon after taking off, the helicopters touched briefly then fell to the ground, killing the athletes and seven other people onboard, officials and witnesses said. A video posted in the Argentine media showed the moment of contact.
The athletes’ deaths, in a country that holds sports stars in high esteem, brought reactions of shock and grief from political leaders and fellow competitors alike on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters at the Élysée Palace, President François Hollande hailed the athletes as trailblazers. “Here again, they wanted to push boundaries and make feats, countries and regions known to the world,” he said.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls wrote on Twitter that “all of France is grieving this morning.” Thierry Braillard, junior minister for sports, told BFM TV that French athletics had lost “three stars.”Prime Minister Manuel Valls wrote on Twitter that “all of France is grieving this morning.” Thierry Braillard, junior minister for sports, told BFM TV that French athletics had lost “three stars.”
The five other French victims were staff members at Adventure Line Productions, which was producing the program for the channel TF1, according to the statement from Mr. Hollande’s office. The other two victims were the Argentine pilots of the helicopters, identified as Juan Carlos Castillo and Roberto Abate, The Associated Press reported. The five other French victims were staff members at Adventure Line Productions, which was producing the program for the channel TF1. Franck Firmin-Guion, the president of Adventure Line, said in a statement that the collision had taken place during filming for the second episode of the show and that his teams were “devastated” by the news.
The two helicopters were heading toward a remote gorge in the northwestern province of La Rioja when they touched in the air and exploded, witnesses told a radio station. Argentina’s state news agency reported that the flying conditions had been ideal. The other two victims were the Argentine pilots of the helicopters, identified as Juan Carlos Castillo and Roberto Abate. They were former military pilots, local news media reported.
The mayor of the closest town to the crash site, Villa Castelli, said the helicopters were “totally burned.” About 80 people were in La Rioja, near the Chilean border, working on the program, provincial officials said. Argentina’s state news agency reported that the flying conditions had been ideal at the time of the crash. The mayor of a nearby town, Villa Castelli, described the downed helicopters, which witnesses said exploded after the contact, as “totally burned.”
Investigators were at the crash scene late on Monday. Agence France-Presse reported on Tuesday that the judicial authorities in Paris had opened an investigation for involuntary manslaughter, as is usual for fatal incidents involving French citizens abroad. About 80 people were working on the program in the province of La Rioja, near the Chilean border, provincial officials said.
Ms. Muffat, 25, had won gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2012 London Olympic games; Mr. Vastine, 28, had won a bronze medal at the 2008 games in Beijing. Ms. Arthaud, 57, was a renowned sailor who won the Route du Rhum trans-Atlantic yacht race in 1990 and who was nicknamed the fiancée of the Atlantic for her feats of navigation. Agence France-Presse reported on Tuesday that the judicial authorities in Paris had opened an involuntary manslaughter investigation, as is usual in fatal incidents involving French citizens abroad.
Ms. Muffat, 25, had won gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2012 London Olympic games and had retired from professional sports last year. Mr. Vastine, 28, had won a bronze medal at the 2008 games in Beijing in the 60 to 64 kilogram class. His sister, also a boxer, was killed several months ago in a road accident at the age of 21.
Ms. Arthaud, 57, was a symbolic figure in France and the yachting world. She was given the nickname la Petite Fiancée de l’Atlantique for her exploits in the Route du Rhum, the trans-Atlantic solo sailing race in which she first participated in at age 20. After she won it in 1990, she was named champion of the year by a French sporting newspaper, L’Equipe. Though Ms. Arthaud was unable to win other major races and later struggled to attract sponsors, her breakthrough helped inspire other sailors, including the female soloists Catherine Chabaud of France and Ellen MacArthur of Britain.
Several other French athletes were taking part in the show but were not involved in the accident, including the figure skater Philippe Candeloro; the swimmer Alain Bernard; and Sylvain Wiltord, a former soccer player for the French national team and Arsenal.
Mr. Wiltord posted a Twitter message shortly after the crash on Monday night. “I am sad for my friends,” he wrote. “I am trembling, I am horrified, I have no words. I don’t want to say anything.”
Yannick Agnel, a former training partner of Ms. Muffat and another gold medalist at the London Olympic Games, in another Twitter post, said simply,“Not her...”
In a statement, the International Olympic Committee announced that Olympic flags would be flown at half-staff for three days at its headquarters in Switzerland.
The reality show was in its first season and had recently begun filming. Adventure Line Productions had already made headlines in 2013 when a contestant died of a heart attack during the filming of “Koh-Lanta,” a French adaptation of “Survivor,” which the company also produced for TF1, leading the show’s doctor to commit suicide.The reality show was in its first season and had recently begun filming. Adventure Line Productions had already made headlines in 2013 when a contestant died of a heart attack during the filming of “Koh-Lanta,” a French adaptation of “Survivor,” which the company also produced for TF1, leading the show’s doctor to commit suicide.