French lawmaker killed in helicopter crash

Olivier Dassault, a billionaire and deputy in the French National Assembly, was killed in a helicopter crash Sunday, President Emmanuel Macron announced.

Dassault was a member of the conservative Les Republicains party and ranked as the 361^st richest man in the world, Reuters reported. He was French industrialist Serge Dassault’s eldest son but had resigned from the company’s board upon taking office.

“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 to his family and loved ones,” Macron tweeted.

Olivier Dassault aimait la France. Capitaine d’industrie, député, élu local, commandant de réserve dans l’armée de l’air : sa vie durant, il ne cessa de servir notre pays, d’en valoriser les atouts. Son décès brutal est une grande perte. Pensées à sa famille et à ses proches.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 7, 2021

In her own tweet, Valérie Pécresse, president of France’s Île-de-France region, which includes Paris, expressed “great sadness at the news” of Dassault’s death.

“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,” she wrote.

Grande tristesse à la nouvelle de la brutale disparition d’Olivier Dassault. Homme d’entreprise, mais aussi photographe reconnu, il avait la passion de la politique dans le sang, ancré dans son département de l’Oise. Mes pensées chaleureuses à sa famille https://t.co/RoBP0CphI7

— Valérie Pécresse (@vpecresse) March 7, 2021