French Olympian sports stars among 10 killed in Argentine crash

A group of French sports stars participating in a reality TV show were among 10 people killed when their helicopters collided in mid-air while filming in northwestern Argentina. Champion sailor Florence Arthaud, Olympic gold medallist swimmer Camille Muffat and Olympic boxer Alexis Vastine were among those killed when two helicopters filming the survival series “Dropped” crashed into each other in the rugged mountains of La Rioja province, local officials said.

Apparently, the two helicopters collided as they were filming. There are no survivors.

Provincial spokesman Horacio Alarcon

The provincial government said a cast and crew of around 80 people, mostly French nationals, had descended on the area in recent days to film the series. Shooting began in late February in Ushuaia, at the southern tip of South America in the glacial landscape of Patagonia. It then moved to La Rioja, whose scenic mountain landscapes are popular with tourists. The crash happened near the town of Villa Castelli around 1,100 kilometers (700 miles) north of the capital Buenos Aires.

It’s been four hours since the collision and (the wreckage) is still on fire. There’s smoke rising from the helicopters.

A Police source at the scene.

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