French billionaire politician Olivier Dassault died today in a helicopter crash.
Paris:
French billionaire Olivier Dassault, a politician and an offshoot of the Dassault aircraft-making family, was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday, and President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to an industry captain who “never stopped serving our country.” .
Dassault died around 6 pm (1700 GMT) when his plane crashed near Deauville in northern France, parliamentary and investigative sources told AFP.
Macron was quick to pay tribute to the 69-year-old MP, saying in a tweet that “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 called his death “a great loss” and sent his condolences to the Dassault family.
Sources close to the accident investigation said the helicopter pilot also died and that no one else was on board.
“I’m thinking of his family and loved ones who must be in terrible pain,” said Richard Ferrand, speaker of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament in which Dassault served as representative of the Oise area in northern France .
Many of Dassault’s colleagues on the political right also paid tribute to Serge Dassault’s son and Marcel Dassault’s grandson, who amassed one of the largest family fortunes in France.
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