French sports stars killed in helicopter crash in Argentina

Authorities have said two helicopters carrying passengers filming a popular European reality show have crashed in a remote area of north-west Argentina, killing eight French citizens and two Argentines.

The helicopters crashed while flying near Villa Castelli in La Rioja province, about 730 miles (1,170km) north-west of Buenos Aires, La Rioja secretary of security Cesar Angulo said. All 10 people on board both aircraft were killed.

"An explosion occurred and it's believed that they collided," said Mr Angulo. Photographs showed the burning and smoking wreckage of the helicopters on the ground with people gathered nearby.

A statement from La Rioja's government said that among the 10 dead were French sports stars, including Olympic gold medal swimmer Camille Muffat, Olympic boxer Alexis Vastine and sailor Florence Arthaud.

The French sports figures were part of a team filming the reality show 'Dropped', a survivalist programme with several versions across Europe, said the mayor of Villa Castelli, Andres Navarrete.

The crew had arrived on Sunday in Villa Castelli, where it had previously filmed a version of the show for Switzerland and Denmark, said Mr Navarrette.

Both Argentine pilots, identified as Juan Carlos Castillo and Roberto Abate, were killed in the crash.

"The causes of the crash are not known," Mr Navarrete told radio station Cadena 3.

Mr Angulo said one of the helicopters belonged to La Rioja province and the other belonged to the neighbouring province of Santiago del Estero.

"The helicopter from La Rioja was a Eurocopter with a capacity to hold six people. It appears to have brushed against the other helicopter from Santiago del Estero shortly after take-off", the statement from the provincial government said.

A rugged, sparsely populated area is on the edge of the Andes mountain range that separates Argentina and Chile.

Several after-hours calls to various departments within the municipality of Villi Castelli were not answered.

Muffat, 25, won gold in the 400 metre freestyle, silver in the 200 metre freestyle and a bronze in the 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay at the 2012 London Olympics.

Vastine, 28, won a bronze medal at the 2008 games in Beijing in the 60-64kg category.