2 dead, 1 injured as helicopter crashes in central Norway

HELSINKI (AP) — A helicopter on a leisure flight crashed in central Norway Tuesday killing both passengers and severely injuring the pilot, authorities said.

Norwegian police identified the dead passengers as a Norwegian man and a woman in their 60s. The pilot was found alive at the crash site just outside the town of Verdal, and was rushed to a hospital in the city of Trondheim.

There was also a dog in the helicopter which survived the crash and was taken to a vet, Norwegian public broadcaster NRK said.

Norwegian media reported that the helicopter crashed into a field outside a densely built-up area in thick fog after several unsuccessful attempts to land.

Forensic technicians from the police were working in cooperation with the Norwegian Air Accident Investigation Board to establish the cause of the crash.

The type and model of the helicopter were not made public.

Norway’s VG newspaper reported that it belonged to Norwegian helicopter service provider Midtnorsk Helikopterservice AS., which offers flights to locals and tourists in central Norway’s scenic mountainous landscape.