Company executive, Russian nations aboad crashed Eczacıbaşı helicopter

Four Russian nationals and an executive of Eczacıbaşı Holding were aboard the helicopter that crashed at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Friday in the Büyükçekmece district of Istanbul. The reason behind the crash is still unknown.

There were two pilots, four Russian nationals and one Turkish passenger on the helicopter.

The helicopter was a Sikorsky S-76C registered as TC-HEZ and belonged to Eczacıbaşı Holding, a Turkish industrial group.

There were seven passengers on the helicopter. The pilots were Ahmet Bulut and Alaaddin Nacar. The Russian nationals on the plane were Aleksandr Vanin, Igor Kochergin, Luidmina Churova and Elena Badraga, and the Turkish passenger was Salim Özen.

Chairman Bülent Eczacıbaşı confirmed the list of those aboard, but did not specify who the five dead were or who had survived.

“We do not currently know how or why the accident happened. A company executive, the director of our Russian facility and our Russian guests were on board. There were two pilots,” Eczacıbaşı said.

“We know that the helicopter took off from Atatürk Airport. The helicopter was fully equipped and well-maintained.”

The helicopter, which was heading to Bilecik Bozüyük, crashed six minutes after takeoff.