A French politician who was one of the richest people in the world died in a helicopter crash in northwest France, officials said.
Olivier Dassault, the 69-year-old heir to the family group Dassault, which makes Falcon private jets and Rafale fighters, died on Sunday along with a pilot when an Airbus AS350 helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff from a private airfield in the city of Touques in Normandy, officials said.
Investigators were traveling to the scene on Monday and a judicial inquiry into possible charges of manslaughter was in progress, the Associated Press reported, citing the regional prosecutor’s office.
Dassault, a conservative who has served in the lower house of France’s parliament since 2002, was listed as one of the 500 richest people in Forbes magazine in 2020. He was tied at 335th place at the time. Dassault’s net worth on Monday was listed at $ 7.2 billion, Forbes reported.
Dassault, one of four children who inherited his father’s fortune in 2018, was the president of strategy and development for the family-controlled aerospace and software company. Dassault’s grandfather, Marcel, founded Dassault Aviation, which started producing propellers in World War I
The family empire also includes one of the oldest daily newspapers in the country, Le Figaro, vineyards and a private aeronautical company, according to Forbes.
The cause of the accident, which occurred near where the tycoon had a holiday home, was not immediately clear, The Guardian reported.
President Emmanuel Macron said that Dassault’s tragic death was a “great loss” for France.
“Olivier Dassault loved France”, Macron tweeted. “As a business leader, deputy, local councilor, commander of the Aeronautics reserve, throughout his life he never failed to serve our country, to disclose what was good about him. His brutal death is a great loss. Our thoughts go to your family and friends. “
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