AT LEST TWO people were killed when a helicopter being used by film crew with the US television channel MTV crashed into a reservoir in western Argentina, officials said today.
The security minister for Mendoza province, Gianni Venier, said the helicopter crashed about 30 kilometres from the city of Mendoza, the provincial capital — some 620 kilometres west of Buenos Aires.
Wreckage from the aircraft has been found, and a pilot and a technician aboard the helicopter were reported killed when the craft plunged into the reservoir at Potrerillos de Mendoza dam.
The helicopter was being used for a reality show for the channel. MTV issued a statement saying the helicopter was working on “The Challenge,” a co-production of MTV and Bunim-Murray Productions, and was flying to a shooting location when it went down. MTV said only two people were on the helicopter and neither was a cast or show crew member.
Rescuers trying to reach the downed helicopter said it had plunged some 60 metres underwater.
The crash is the second this year involving a helicopter taking part in filming in Argentina.
In March, 10 people, eight French nationals and two Argentines, were killed during the filming of a show for reality TV in France.
The dead included three well-known French athletes — pioneering sailor Florence Arthaud and Olympian swimmer Camille Muffat and boxer Alexis Vastine.
- © AFP 2015 with reporting from Associated Press.
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