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French Athletes Killed in Argentina Helicopter Crash Are Mourned French Athletes Killed in Argentina Helicopter Crash Are Mourned
(about 5 hours later)
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. PARIS — Florence Arthaud competed in solo trans-Atlantic sailing races at the age of 20. Camille Muffat captured three swimming medals at the 2012 London Olympics, including one in the grueling 400-meter freestyle. Alexis Vastine fought his way to a bronze medal in boxing at the 2008 Beijing Games.
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 three French athletes were flying in two helicopters late on Monday, on their way into a remote gorge in northwestern Argentina for the filming of a new reality show, “Dropped,” in which they would be left to fend for themselves and find their way back to civilization.
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. But the two helicopters touched briefly in midair and then fell to the ground, killing the three athletes and seven other people on board, officials and witnesses said. A video posted in the Argentine news 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. In France, a country that holds sports stars in high esteem, news of the crash was met on Tuesday with reactions of shock and grief from political leaders and fellow competitors.
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. Speaking to reporters at the Élysée Palace, President François Hollande hailed the three 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 told reporters in Paris that the athletes had “filled the French with wonder, each in their own discipline,” and 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. 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. Five of the seven other victims were French as well, employees of Adventure Line Productions, which was making the reality show for TF1, a leading French broadcaster. Franck Firmin-Guion, the president of Adventure Line, said in a statement that the crash took place during filming for the second episode of the show, and that the company’s staff was “devastated” by the news.
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 other two victims were the helicopters’ pilots, both Argentines. Local news media identified them as Juan Carlos Castillo and Roberto Abate.
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.” Argentina’s state news agency reported that flying conditions at the time of the collision were ideal. The French government is sending aviation investigators to Argentina to help determine what caused the crash, officials said. Prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation for involuntary manslaughter, a standard procedure for fatal occurrences involving French citizens abroad, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office.
About 80 people were working on the program in the province of La Rioja, near the Chilean border, provincial officials said. In all, about 80 people were working on the program in the province of La Rioja near the Chilean border, provincial officials said. The mayor of Villa Castelli, a town near the crash site, said the downed helicopters, which witnesses said exploded after the collision, were “totally burned.”
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, retired from professional sports last year after winning gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Mr. Vastine, 28, who won a medal in the 60-to-64-kilogram weight class in Beijing, had a sister who boxed as well; she was killed in a road accident in January at the age of 21.
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, nicknamed the Little Fiancée of the Atlantic for her exploits in the Route du Rhum, a trans-Atlantic solo sailing race. After she won the race in 1990, she was named champion of the year by a French sporting newspaper, L’Equipe. Ms. Arthaud was not able to repeat her success in other major races and later struggled to attract sponsors, but her early breakthrough helped inspire other sailors, including the soloists Catherine Chabaud of France and Ellen MacArthur of Britain.
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 more French athletes were taking part in the reality show but were not involved in the accident, including the figure skater Philippe Candeloro; the swimmer Alain Bernard; and the soccer player Sylvain Wiltord.
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.”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 at its headquarters in Switzerland would be flown at half-staff for three days.
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. Adventure Line Productions made headlines in 2013 when a contestant in another of its reality shows — “Koh-Lanta,” a French adaptation of “Survivor” — died of a heart attack during filming, and the show’s doctor later committed suicide. The new program, “Dropped,” is in its first season.
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.