Tragedy Strikes Portugal: Helicopter Crash During Firefighting Operation Claims Two Lives

A tragic helicopter crash during firefighting operations in northern Portugal has claimed the lives of two military personnel. The helicopter, carrying a crew from the Protection and Rescue Unit (UEPS), crashed in the Douro River while returning from a wildfire suppression mission. The cause of the crash remains unknown. Authorities have confirmed the pilot’s survival, but he sustained multiple fractures. Rescue teams located the bodies of two deceased crew members inside the wreckage, while search efforts continue for three missing passengers. Portuguese Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, and President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, have visited the crash site to oversee the rescue and investigation operations.