Five individuals died on Saturday when two helicopters crashed following a collision in mid-air over southwestern Finland, officials confirmed.
The crash took place a few minutes after noon in a forest near the town of Kauttua, and wreckage from the helicopters fell about 700 meters from the Ohikulkutie road. Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation Detective Chief Inspector Johannes Siirilä confirmed deaths in the crash, saying all five people on board the two helicopters were killed.
Per flight plans, one of the helicopters had two individuals on board while the other had three. The police recorded that both the helicopters were registered abroad one in Estonia and another in Austria.
The planes were identified by Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR), quoting Helsingin Sanomat, as belonging to Estonian firms NOBE and Eleon. The helicopters were heading to a recreational flight event hosted by the Pori Aviation Club, Yle News reported.
There is an investigation that has been launched jointly, being conducted by Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation and police with the assistance of Estonian officials.
