Paris: French billionaire Olivier Dassault, was killed in a helicopter crash Sunday, March 7, along with his pilot. Dassault died around 6 pm (1700 GMT) when his helicopter crashed near Deauville in northern France, parliamentary and investigation sources told AFP. Sources say no one else was on board.
According to a police source, his private helicopter crashed on Sunday afternoon in Normandy, where he has a holiday home.
Dassault was a French Member of Parliament, grandson of Marcel Dassault, the founder of the French aircraft manufacturing giant Dassault Aviation, which builds Rafale fighter planes.
French President Emmanuel Macron paid homage to the 69-year-old member of parliament, tweeting, “Olivier Dassault loved France. Captain of industry, local MP, reserve commander in the air force; throughout his life, he never stopped serving our country.”
Macron also said his death was “a great loss” and sent his condolences to Dassault’s family.
French billionaire politician Olivier Dassault died in a helicopter crash on Sunday in northern France’s Normandy region, the news agency reported probe sources as saying.
Dassault was the 361st richest man in the world alongside his two brothers and sister, with a wealth of about 6 billion euros ($7.15 billion) a large bulk inherited from his father according to the 2020 Forbes rich list and grandson of Marcel Dassault, who built up one of the biggest family fortunes in France.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Twitter:
Olivier Dassault aimait la France. Capitaine d’industrie, député, élu local, commandant de réserve dans l’armée de l’air : sa vie durant, il ne cessa de servir notre pays, d’en valoriser les atouts. Son décès brutal est une grande perte. Pensées à sa famille et à ses proches.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 7, 2021