Light helicopter crashes in southern Poland, leaving one dead
Rescue teams on Thursday morning located the wreckage of a crashed Robinson R44 helicopter on the slope of the Lubogoszcz mountain in the Island Beskids range in southern Poland, where they also found a body, the province's police spokeswoman has told PAP.
"Shortly before 8am, the wreckage of the helicopter and one body were found on the slopes of Mount Lubogoszcz," Katarzyna Cislo told PAP on Thursday morning.
"We are notifying the State Commission on Aircraft Accidents Investigation (PKBWL) and the public prosecutor's office, and we are securing the area," she added.
The PKBWL and prosecutors will now investigate the cause of the crash.
The search operation, which involved police officers, fire service people, mountain rescue and search teams, was launched in the early hours on Thursday after contact with the light Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter was lost. The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency was notified of the lack of communication with the aircraft at about 2am on Thursday.
According to unofficial reports obtained by PAP, the Robinson R44 helicopter was on a private flight from Hungary to Poland.
Aviation-monitoring radar data show that the helicopter was flying at the altitude of about 850-1,000 metres before the radar signal was lost.
The area was secured for the police and prosecutors to investigate the site before the PKBWL experts arrive.
Later on Thursday, the Malopolskie Province Police confirmed that the deceased person was a 30-year-old pilot. (PAP)
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