An heir to the salami empire has died alongside at least two others after a horror helicopter smash took place over the grounds of a medieval castle.
The helicopter crashed into the property in the evening of February 5 a few miles west of Parma in northern Italy. Sadly Lorenzo Rovagnati, 41, the heir to a salami empire is believed to be among the dead.
The two pilots on board the aircraft at the time of the crash also died. Unconfirmed reports claim one of the helicopter pilots attempted to take off shortly before the crash took place.
Local news outlets report there was thick fog in the region for most of the day. The cause of the accident has not been confirmed as of Thursday morning but the chopper is understood to be an AugustaWestland A109, reports the Mirror.
Officials from the Parma public prosecutor’s office have seized the flight recorder and an investigation into the cause of the crash is now underway to determine whether it was due to technical or human error.
Video reportedly taken from the crash site shows emergency service crews close to the crashed helicopter as they carry out an investigation of the area. Thick fog was seen blanketing the grounds of the castle estate.
The shocking footage also showed debris strewn around the crash site with the helicopter having sustained significant damage. The castle where the crash happened is owned by the Rovagnati family, which had an annual turnover of more than 310 million euros in 2023, according to Bild. The family made its fortune through its sausage empire.
Rovagnati was the managing director of the company, which employed an estimated 400 employees. According to the outlet, the manager is understood to have flown from Milan to the castle about 77 miles to the southwest.
He leaves behind two children and a pregnant wife. Fabio Fecci, the mayor of Noceto, described the incident as a “terrible tragedy.”