Four people died on Sunday in the crash of a tourism plane in Ariège, in the Pyrenees. The wreckage and the bodies of the occupants were found after intensive searches by the gendarmerie and civil security. The prosecutor's office has taken charge of the investigation.
The tragedy occurred on Sunday in Ariège, where a single-engine tourism plane, typically used in aero clubs, crashed in the Pyrenees. All four occupants perished in the accident, as confirmed by authorities after locating the wreckage.
The Saint-Girons aero club alerted the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Center (ARCC) in Lyon, prompting an immediate search operation. Two helicopters were deployed: one by the gendarmerie and the other by civil security for aerial searches. On the ground, firefighters and gendarmes were sent to scour the hard-to-reach area.
The wreckage was spotted Sunday evening by the gendarmerie helicopter. Mountain rescuers were lowered to the site but could only confirm the deaths of the four people on board. According to a source close to the investigation, the Foix prosecutor's office has taken charge to probe the circumstances of the crash.
Such incidents highlight the challenges of the Pyrenees' mountainous terrain, where rescue operations demand close coordination among emergency services. No further details on the victims' identities or the exact cause have been released at this time.