French Billionaire Politician, Olivier Dassault dies in a helicopter crash

Olivier Dassault was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday. The private helicopter the 69-year-old legislator was traveling in crashed in Calvados of the Normandy region of northwestern France where he had a holiday home, on Sunday, the 7th of March 2021. A police source reveals that the pilot also died in that crash. 

Olivier Dassault was the eldest son of French billionaire industrialist Serge Dassault who owns Le Figaro newspaper and whose organization builds the Rafale warplanes. Emmanuel Macron, the President of France has paid tribute to the French billionaire and position who was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday. Mr. Macron wrote on Twitter: "Olivier Dassault loved France. Captain of industry, deputy, local elected official, reserve commander in the air force: during his life, he never ceased to serve our country, to value its assets."

"His sudden death is a great loss. Thoughts on his family and loved ones."

Mr. Dassault represented the conservative Les Republicans party since 2002 as a deputy in the French National Assembly. He was once considered the main choice to succeed Serge at the head of the family holding. Mr. Dassault's father Serge died of a heart attack in his Paris office in May 2018 from a heart attack at the age of 93. The succession role eventually went to former Dassault Aviation Chief Executive Charles Edelstein. He stepped away from his position on the board of Dassault to avoid any conflict of interest as a result of his political role. Mr. Dassault was considered the 361st richest man in the works along with his two brothers and sisters.