Italy helicopter crash kills salami heir and at least 2 others in horror smash
Italy helicopter crash kills salami heir and at least 2 others in horror smash
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A salami empire heir has died alongside at least two others after a helicopter crashed into the grounds of a medieval castle. The helicopter crashed into the property at about 7:20pm on Wednesday near a few miles west of Parma in northern Italy. The helicopter struck a home in the Castello di Castelguelfo, a medieval manor. Lorenzo Rovagnati, 41, the heir to a salami empire is believed to be among the dead. The two pilots on board the aircraft at the time of the crash also died.
Unconfirmed reports claim one of the helicopter pilots attempted to take off shortly before the crash happened. Italian outlets report there was thick fog in the region for most of the day. The cause of the accident has not been confirmed as of Thursday morning. The helicopter is understood to be an AugustaWestland A109. Officials from the Parma public prosecutor's office have seized the flight recorder and are determining whether the crash was due to technical or human error.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is now underway. Video reportedly taken from the crash site shows emergency service crews close to the crashed helicopter as they carry out an investigation of the area. Thick fog was seen blanketing the grounds of the castle estate. The clip also showed debris strewn around the crash site with the helicopter having sustained significant damage. The castle where the crash happened is owned by the Rovagnati family, which had an annual turnover of more than 310 million euros in 2023, according to Bild. The family made its fortune through its sausage empire.
