French experts leave for Argentina as recovery teams arrive at helicopter crash scene
French aviation experts left for Argentina on Tuesday to join the inquiry into the helicopter crash that cost the lives of 10 people, including three French sporting stars. Argentine recovery teams had already arrived at the scene of the crash.
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Two experts from France’s air-crash investigation unit, BEA, were to leave for Argentina Tuesday, to join the official Argentine inquiry, the organisation announced.
They were to be accompanied by representatives of the manufacturers, Airbus Helicopters and Turbomeca.
France on Tuesday mourned its eight nationals - sailor Florence Arthaud, boxer Alexis Vastine and swimmer Camille Muffat and five production staff for the TV reality show they were taking part in - who died in the crash.
Paris prosecutors opened their own investigation into manslaughter.
Argentine recovery teams arrived at the site of the collision early on Tuesday morning local time, Judge Virginia Illanes Bordon said.
"In a short while we will begin the task of recovery of the bodies," she told TN News.
Provincial spokesperson Horacio Alarcon said the weather conditions were good and the cause of the crash was unknown.
Argentine TV ran footage of the accident showing one of the two helicopters apparently colliding with the other.
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