Olivier Dassault, French Billionaire Politician And Manufacturer Of Rafale Warplanes Killed In Helicopter Crash

French billionaire Olivier Dassault, a politician, and scion of the Dassault aircraft-making family was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

Image Courtesy: AFP

French Member of Parliament and billionaire Oliver Dassault was killed in a helicopter crash at around 6 pm on Sunday, 7 March, along with the pilot of the aircraft near Deuville, northern France, investigation sources told AFP.

French President Emmanuel Macron offered condolences to the 69-year-old conservative MP in a tweet, saying, "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 capitalise on his strengths. His sudden death is a great loss. Thoughts for his family and loved ones."

Macron also called Oliver Dassault's death a 'great loss' to the country. Sources close to the crash enquiry said to Reuters that apart from the politician and pilot, no one else was on board.  

Dassault was the eldest son of late French billionaire industrialist Serge Dassault, whose namesake Dassault Aviation, builds the Rafale warplanes and owns Le Figaro newspaper.

Dassault's grandfather, Marcel Dassault, founded Dassault Aviation which made aircraft propellers in World War One.

On Marcel's death in 1986, Serge Dassault appointed Olivier director of civil aircraft strategy at the company. In 2011 he was appointed chairman of the supervisory board of Groupe Dassault.

He stepped down from the board to pursue his politician ambitions and has been a lawmaker for Les Republicains.

Dassault was known to be the 361st richest man in the world, with an inheritance to a fortune of over 6 billion euros ($7.15 billion), according to Forbes Magazine’s 2020 list.