French billionaire dies in helicopter crash
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Mr Olivier Dassault, alongside his two brothers and sister, had wealth of about €6 billion (S$9.6 billion).
PARIS • French billionaire Olivier Dassault was killed in a helicopter crash, a police source said, with President Emmanuel Macron paying tribute to the 69-year-old conservative politician.
Mr Dassault was the eldest son of late French billionaire industrialist Serge Dassault, whose Dassault Aviation builds the Rafale warplanes and owns Le Figaro newspaper.
Mr Macron said on Twitter: "Olivier Dassault loved France. Captain of industry, lawmaker, local elected official, reserve commander in the air force: During his life, he never ceased to serve our country, to value its assets. His sudden death is a great loss. Thoughts on his family and loved ones."
The private helicopter crashed on Sunday afternoon in Normandy, where he has a holiday home, according to a police source. The pilot was also killed.
A lawmaker for the Les Republicains party since 2002, Mr Dassault was considered the 361st richest man in the world alongside his two brothers and sister, with wealth of about €6 billion (S$9.6 billion) mostly inherited from his father, according to the 2020 Forbes rich list.
He stepped down from his role on the board of Dassault Aviation due to his political role to avoid any conflict of interest.
Mr Dassault was once considered favoured to succeed Mr Serge Dassault at the head of the family holding, but that role went to former Dassault Aviation chief executive Charles Edelstenne.
"Great sadness at the news of the sudden passing of Olivier Dassault," conservative politician Valerie Pecresse, president of the Paris region, said on Twitter.
"A businessman, but also a renowned photographer, he had a passion for politics in his blood, rooted in his department of Oise. My warm thoughts to his family."
REUTERS
