French military helicopter crashes in Côte d’Ivoire

A French military helicopter crashed in Côte d’Ivoire while on a training mission, killing the pilot and seriously wounding a second crew member, the French army said on Wednesday.

The Gazelle helicopter came down about 20 km east of the Côte d’Ivorian commercial capital, Abidjan.

“The cause of the accident is still to be determined,” the French army said in a statement.

The army said both helicopter crew were transferred to a French military base at Port Bouet, where the pilot died.

The other crewman, the army added, is being airlifted to France for further treatment.