2009 Gabon Eurocopter AS 532 crash

{{GNG|Events|date=August 2024}}

{{short description|2009 helicopter accident}}

{{Infobox Aircraft accident

|name = 2009 Gabon Eurocopter AS 532 crash

|image = Eurocopter AS-532L1 Cougar, France - Air Force AN0964913.jpg

|caption = A French Air Force Eurocopter AS-532 identical to the one involved in the incident.

|date = {{start-date|January 17, 2009}}

|type = Under investigation{{update inline|date=June 2018}}

|site = Atlantic Ocean off Gabon

|coords =

|aircraft_type = Eurocopter AS 532

|operator = French military

|tail_number =

|origin = French naval ship {{ship|French ship|Foudre|L9011|2}} in the Atlantic Ocean

|destination =

|passengers = 6

|crew = 4

|injuries = 0

|fatalities = 8

|survivors = 2

}}

{{Location map

|Gabon | label=Libreville

|mark=Green pog.svg

|lon_dir=E

|lat_dir=N

|lat_deg = 0

|lat_min = 23

|lat_sec = 24

|lon_deg = 9

|lon_min = 27

|lon_sec = 0

|position=right

|relief=1

|width=200

|float=right

|caption=Crash site is located south of the capital city Libreville, half way from Port-Gentil

}}

The 2009 Gabon Eurocopter AS 532 occurred in the Atlantic Ocean off Gabon at 8:08 p.m. on January 17, 2009. Ten soldiers were in the Eurocopter AS 532 when it crashed,{{cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKTRE50H0S620090118|title=French army helicopter in Gabon crash|date=2009-01-18|work=Reuters|access-date=2009-01-18| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090130065437/http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKTRE50H0S620090118| archive-date= 30 January 2009 | url-status= dead}} leaving eight military personnel dead.{{cite news|last=Proult|first=Julien|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h3omdJ4GW8ulShJ7sxUfh1ZhwVNgD95PN6DG0|title=Gabon helicopter crash: 5 more bodies found|date=2009-01-18|publisher=AP|accessdate=2009-01-18}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite news|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2009/01/19/2003434083|title=Six missing, one dead in Gabon helicopter crash|date=2009-01-18|newspaper=Taipei Times|accessdate=2009-01-18| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090124193231/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2009/01/19/2003434083| archivedate= 24 January 2009 | url-status= live}} Three soldiers initially survived the French military helicopter crash which occurred shortly after take-off from the amphibious assault ship FS {{ship|French ship|Foudre|L9011|2}}. One of the rescued soldiers died from injuries at Libreville Hospital.

{{cite news|url=http://www.easybourse.com/bourse-actualite/marches/french-soldiers-bodies-found-in-wreckage-of-army-copter-598823|title=French Soldiers' Bodies Found In Wreckage Of Army Copter|date=2009-01-18|publisher=AFP|accessdate=2009-01-18|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126204118/http://www.easybourse.com/bourse-actualite/marches/french-soldiers-bodies-found-in-wreckage-of-army-copter-598823|archivedate=26 January 2009|url-status=dead}} The helicopter came down off the coastal city of Nyonie between Port-Gentil and Libreville during a joint exercise with Gabonese troops. The cause of the crash is not known.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/world-news/africa/one-dead-six-missing-after-french-military-helicopter-crash-1606076.html|title=One dead, six missing after French military helicopter crash|date=2009-01-18|accessdate=2009-01-18|newspaper=Irish Independent}}{{update inline|date=June 2018}}

French President Nicolas Sarkozy immediately ordered his Minister of Defence, Hervé Morin, to fly to Gabon to oversee the rescue mission.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7835920.stm|title=French helicopter in Gabon crash|date=2009-01-18|accessdate=2009-01-18|publisher=BBC| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090118095428/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7835920.stm| archivedate=January 18, 2009| url-status= live}} Morin visited friends and relatives of the missing at Camp De Gaulle.{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gEmEoNwRO5UVIqU9tRmbgEagjr0w|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615053011/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gEmEoNwRO5UVIqU9tRmbgEagjr0w|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 15, 2013|title=French army helicopter crashes, eight dead or missing|date=2009-01-18|publisher=AFP|accessdate=2009-01-18}}

After the crash, FS Foudre was the first ship at the scene, and picked up some of the injured. Two helicopters, several ships, as well as underwater robots were sent by the French oil company Total S.A. to assist with rescue efforts. On January 18, the wreckage of the helicopter was discovered {{convert|35|m|ft}} underwater. Gabon Interior Minister Andre Mba Obame said, "Gabon is doing all that it can to help with the search."{{update inline|reason=What was done, or was this just a political soundbite?|date=June 2018}}