(GNB Desk): French billionaire and politician Olivier Dassault has been killed in a helicopter crash, French news reports have said.
Dassault, 69 and a father of three, died around 6 pm (1700 GMT) when his helicopter crashed near the upmarket coastal resort of Deauville in northern France, parliamentary and investigation sources told AFP.
He had served as a member of the National Assembly since 2002 for the 1st constituency of the department (département) of Oise in northern France, around 60km north of Paris.
Dassault was the son of industrialist Serge Dassault, whose group builds Rafale war planes and owns Le Figaro newspaper.
Olivier Dassault was also the grandson of French industrialist Marcel Dassault.
He was elected to the National Assembly – France’s lower house of parliament – in 2002 and represented the Oise area of northern France.
The MP, from the centre-right Republicans, was considered the 361st richest man in the world – worth an estimated €6.3bn ($7.3bn; £5.2bn) according to Forbes.
The news was confirmed today when French president Emmanuel Macron tweeted a tribute to the late elected official.
French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute, saying on Twitter that Dassault “never ceased to serve our country, to value its assets. His sudden death is a great loss”.
Translation: Olivier Dassault loved France. Captain of industry, deputy, local elected official, reserve commander in the air force: during his life, he never ceased to serve our country, to value its assets. His sudden death is a great loss. Thoughts to his family and loved ones.
The pilot of the helicopter was also killed, and that no one else was on board, Sources close to the crash inquiry said to the media.
This is a breaking news story: more information will be updated as it becomes available.
Source: News Agencies
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