Russian man, pilot die in helicopter crash in France

Two men — a pilot and a Russian businessman — died on Friday when a civilian helicopter flying from Switzerland to Monaco crashed in southern France, officials said.

A regional official said “two bodies were recovered” after the accident, which occurred near the city of Nice at around 2:00 pm.

The victims were identified as the pilot of the helicopter, operated by private company Monacair, and the passenger, a businessman who was “a Russian national with a Maltese passport”, the official said.

Another expected passenger on the flight from Lausanne to Monaco “cancelled at the last minute”, Monacair told AFP.