The EC-135 helicopter, rented for training purposes, crashed into the Mulde river on Tuesday during a training flight for reasons initially unknown. According to the Leipzig Police Department, paddlers spotted a helicopter part in the river and alerted the police. According to the police spokesperson, the helicopter part was discovered near Schmorditz in the Leipzig district, not far from Grimma.
Two crew members were recovered dead, the search for the third occupant of the helicopter is still ongoing, an Air Force spokeswoman told the AFP news agency on Tuesday evening. The spokeswoman declined to provide further details on the identities of the dead and the still missing crew member. "It was an experienced crew," she said simply.
Federal Defense Minister Pistorius traveled to the scene of the accident and was briefed on the status of rescue and recovery operations. "The deaths of the crew members hit me and the entire Bundeswehr hard," the SPD politician stated. "Our thoughts are with the relatives and friends."
The cause of the crash was not disclosed. "We will do everything we can to clarify the circumstances," Pistorius explained. The Air Force spokeswoman told AFP in the evening: "We are currently investigating the situation with local rescue services, and recovery efforts are currently ongoing. We currently have no information on the cause of the accident."
According to the Leipzig Police Department, the wreckage was located near Schmorditz in the Leipzig district. Police, federal officers, and water patrol units were dispatched, and the German Armed Forces quickly established a military exclusion zone.
A spokesperson for the German Air Force confirmed that the helicopter had been on a training flight when the crash occurred. Details about the crew or cause remain unclear. To secure the crash site and assist with recovery efforts, the Federal Aviation Office has issued a no-fly zone over the area. More than 100 personnel from the fire brigade, police, Bundeswehr, and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief are actively involved in the operation.
The wreckage lies in a challenging and remote area, complicating salvage operations. An oil boom has been deployed to contain kerosene leakage from the site, and police divers are assisting with underwater recovery. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the crash.
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