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Argentina helicopter crash: Former Arsenal player Sylvain Wiltord was a contestant on reality show

10 people died after two helicopters were reported to have collided in mid-air in a tragic crash in Argentina

Jack de Menezes
Tuesday 10 March 2015 13:04 GMT
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Former Arsenal striker Sylvain Wiltord
Former Arsenal striker Sylvain Wiltord (Getty Images)

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Former Arsenal striker Sylvain Wiltord has expressed his despair after a crash between two helicopters in Argentina killed 10 people that were working on a TV show that he was a contestant on.

Former Gunners’ star Wiltord was also a contestant on the show, but he was not travelling on the helicopters when the accident happened.

He took to Twitter to say he had “no words” to describe the tragic loss. He wrote: "I'm sad for my friends, I'm trembling, I'm horrified, I have no words, I don't want to say anything."

Wiltord in action for Arsenal during his football career
Wiltord in action for Arsenal during his football career (Getty Images)

Those on board the helicopters at the time of the crash were made up of contestants, crew members and the two pilots. All 10 – eight French nationals and two Argentinians – were killed.

Along with Wiltord, four other French sports stars were appearing on the show. The other participants were swimmer Alain Bernard, cyclist Jeannie Longo, snowboarder Anne-Flore Marxer and figure skater Philippe Candeloro.

The smoking wreckage of one of the helicopters in Villa Castelli
The smoking wreckage of one of the helicopters in Villa Castelli (AFP/Getty Images)

None of them were involved in the helicopter crash.

French media announced that filming of the show Dropped had been suspended immediately and the remaining crew and contestants would be flown back to France.

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