Frenchman, Spaniard die in Algeria helicopter crash

A Frenchman and a Spaniard died in a helicopter crash in Algeria yesterday while cleaning overhead power lines, a source with the French consulate said.

A second Spaniard who was on board the helicopter was injured when it crashed in the Corso region near Boumerdes, 50 kilometres east of capital Algiers.

The helicopter, which appeared to hit one of the cables before it crashed, belonged to a foreign company.

The French consulate confirmed the accident and the death of the Frenchman, but the identity of the victims or the company which owned the helicopter were not known.

The company was working under contract for Algerian utilities firm Sonelgaz to clean overhead power lines.