Helicopter Collision Claims Five Lives in Finland

In a tragic incident, two helicopters collided and crashed in a wooded area near Eura Airport in southwestern Finland, resulting in the deaths of five individuals, as reported by police.

The collision took place on Saturday afternoon, close to the town of Katua, with wreckage discovered approximately 700 meters from Ohikulkutie Road.

“Five people were killed in a helicopter accident near Eura Airport on Saturday,” said DCI Johannes Cirilla from the National Bureau of Investigation.

Reports indicate that one of the helicopters had taken off from Estonia and was carrying businessmen.

A witness, Antti Marjanen, told Finnish newspaper Iltalehti that he observed one helicopter striking another during the incident. “One of them fell like a stone, the other fell more slowly. I couldn’t hear any sound,” extracted Marjanen.

According to an Estonian public broadcaster, one of the helicopters was registered in Estonia and the other in Austria, as mentioned by the Finnish publication Helsingin Sanomat. Both helicopters belonged to Estonian companies—one was owned by Nobe, while the other was owned by Eleon.

The Pori Aviation Club stated that the helicopter was reportedly en route to a hobby aviation event.

The National Investigation Bureau is spearheading a collaborative investigation with local police, involving authorities from both Finland and Estonia.