2009 Gabonese Eurocopter AS 532 Crash

2009 Gabonese Eurocopter AS 532 Crash

The 2009 Gabonese helicopter crash occurred in the Atlantic Ocean off the African country of Gabon at 8:08 p.m. on January 17, 2009. Ten soldiers were in the Eurocopter AS 532 when it crashed, leaving eight military personnel dead. Three soldiers initially survived the French military helicopter crash which occurred shortly after take-off from the amphibious assault ship the FS Foudre. One of the rescued soldiers died from injuries at Libreville Hospital. It was reported that the helicopter came down off the coastal city of Nyonie between Port-Gentil and Libreville during a joint exercise with Gabonese troops. The cause of the crash is not known.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy immediately ordered his Minister of Defence, Hervé Morin, to fly to Gabon to oversee the rescue mission. Morin viewed rescue efforts on the FS Foudre, and visited friends and relatives of the missing at Camp De Gaulle.

After the crash, the FS Foudre was the first ship at the scene, and picked up some of the injured. Two helicopters, several ships, as well as underwater robots were sent by the French oil company Total S.A. to assist with rescue efforts. On January 18, the wreckage of the helicopter was discovered 35 metres (115 ft) underwater. Gabon Interior Minister Andre Mba Obame said, "Gabon is doing all that it can to help with the search."