Five killed as two helicopters collide in Western Finland

Two civilian helicopters en route from Estonia collided mid-air near Eura Airfield in Western Finland on Saturday, killing all five people on board. Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed there were no survivors.

The crash occurred shortly after 12:30 p.m. local time, when the Satakunta Rescue Department received a report from a nearby road that two helicopters had collided and crashed. The helicopters, both four-seater Robinson R44 Raven models, went down in a forested area about 100 meters apart.

Finnish authorities confirmed that two people were aboard one helicopter and three in the other. Rescuers located one of the helicopters by a plume of smoke, as it had caught fire upon impact. The wreckage of the second helicopter was discovered nearby.

According to Fintraffic Air Navigation Services, the helicopters had taken off from Tallinn around 11:17 a.m. and maintained a cruising altitude of 300 meters before the collision — suggesting they were not descending. The collision site was cordoned off by Finnish Defense Forces vehicles, although no military aircraft were involved in the incident.

Initial reports identified prominent Estonian figures among the victims. Construction company Mapri confirmed that its chairman, Priit Jaagant, and his wife, Lilit Jaagant, were killed in the crash. Estonian media also reported that Oleg Sõnajalg, co-owner of renewable energy company Eleon, was likely among the victims, though authorities have yet to formally confirm all identities.

The helicopters were heading to Piikajärvi Airfield in Kokemäki, not departing from Tallinn Airport, according to airport officials. Data indicates the helicopters flew side by side across the Gulf of Finland before the collision.

One helicopter was confirmed to be Estonian-registered and owned by the company NOBE, while the other was Austrian-registered, owned by Eleon, as reported by Helsingin Sanomat.

Authorities from both Finland and Estonia are now investigating the crash. A joint press conference is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m., where officials are expected to release further details.

This incident marks one of the deadliest civilian aviation accidents in Finland in recent years.