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French Olympians Die in Argentina Copter Crash

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The victims: yachtswoman Florence Arthaud, Olympic swimmer Camille Muffat and boxer Alexis Vastine
The victims: yachtswoman Florence Arthaud, Olympic swimmer Camille Muffat and boxer Alexis Vastine

Ten people have died, including three French top athletes, in a helicopter accident during the filming of a reality show in Argentina.

Authorities say two helicopters collided late Monday during the filming of a European survivalist reality show called "Dropped." The helicopters went down in the western province of La Rioja, near the Andes Mountains. All 10 people aboard the aircrafts died in the crash.

Map showing the location of La Rioja, Argentina
Map showing the location of La Rioja, Argentina

Among the victims were Olympic swimmer Camille Muffat, Olympic boxer Alexis Vastine, and world champion sailor Florence Arthaud, all French nationals.

French President Francois Hollande released a statement calling the deaths "an immense sadness."

Muffat, 25, won gold, silver and bronze medals in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Vastine, 28, won a bronze medal in the 2008 games in Beijing. Arthaud is considered one of the world's best sailors.

Eight of the victims of the accident were French; the two helicopter pilots were Argentineans.

A man stands near the smoking remains of a helicopter that crashed with another near Villa Castelli in the La Rioja province of Argentina, Monday, March 9, 2015.
A man stands near the smoking remains of a helicopter that crashed with another near Villa Castelli in the La Rioja province of Argentina, Monday, March 9, 2015.

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