A helicopter crashed in a forest area near Greding in the Bavarian region of Middle Franconia on a sunny Saturday afternoon. According to a statement from the police press office in Nuremberg, the two occupants of the helicopter died in the accident.
Eyewitnesses reported the crash at around 1:15 pm and the fire department later confirmed the incident. The two men on board, a 50-year-old and a 76-year-old, were trapped in the wreckage and had to be cut out by firefighters. Unfortunately, both men succumbed to their injuries.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the helicopter, an ultralight helicopter from a private company, had taken off from the Neumarkt district with an unknown destination. According to a report by Bild, the accident occurred near a model airfield. The helicopter was severely damaged in the crash.
Police investigators from the Hilpoltstein police station are examining the crash site, with the assistance of experts from the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation and a specialist in flight accident investigations from the Schwabach police department.
In addition to the investigating officers, volunteers from the fire departments of Offenbau, Obermässing and Greding, as well as technical rescue teams and numerous rescue personnel, have been supporting the work at the accident site. The cause of the crash remains unclear and the investigation is ongoing. The recovery of the helicopter wreckage is expected to begin on the following Monday.