Swiss army helicopter crashes in Alps, 2 killed, 1 injured
A Swiss army helicopter has crashed in a southeastern mountain pass in the Alps leaving two aviators dead and a third person injured, the Swiss army said.
In a statement posted on its Twitter page on Wednesday, the Swiss Defense Ministry said the helicopter had crashed in Ticino canton, which is an Italian-speaking part of Switzerland.
Ticino’s cantonal police said the crash took place around midday in the remote Gotthard Pass near a hospice that stands at an altitude of about 2,100 meters.
Emergency teams, including members of the air rescue service, REGA, have been dispatched to the scene of the accident.
Local media said the helicopter was a Super Puma, the type manufactured in France, which has two pilots and can transport up to 18 passengers.
The Swiss Air Force said in a statement on its website that the helicopter was mostly used for liaison, rescue and disaster relief, adding, “In cases of emergency and crash-landings, the Super Puma is equipped with modern safety and security features.”
Switzerland’s air force has seen similar incidents in the recent past, with some of the crashes occurring outside its borders.
In August, an F/A-18 plane crashed in Hinter-Tierberg region. The pilot died in the crash after receiving incorrect altitude instructions from flight controllers.
Also in June, a collision happened between two Swiss Tiger F-5E fighter jets during a training flight for an air show in the Netherlands.
Another training session almost a year ago saw another F/A-18 crashing in an uninhabited part of France's eastern region of Doubs.
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