3 French sports stars dead in air crash

Three French sports stars were among 10 victims that lost their lives in two helicopters crashes that happened yesterday, Monday, March 9 in Argentina.

The two helicopters were carrying passengers filming a popular European reality show crashed in a remote area of northwest Argentina, killing eight French citizens and two Argentines, authorities said.

Among the eight French citizens, were Olympic gold medal swimmer Camille Muffat, Olympic boxer Alexis Vastine and champion sailor Florence Arthaud, the French presidential office has confirmed.

Muffat, 25, won gold in the 400-meter freestyle, silver in the 200-meter freestyle and a bronze in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Vastine, 28, won a bronze medal at the 2008 games in Beijing in the 60-64 kilogram category.

Arthaud's most notable accomplishment was winning the Route du Rhum race in 1990.

The French sports figures were part of a team filming the reality show 'Dropped' a survivalist program with several versions across Europe.

The crew had arrived on Sunday in Villa Castelli, where it had previously filmed a version of the show for Switzerland and Denmark, The Associated Press reports.

The helicopters crashed while flying near Villa Castelli in La Rioja province, about 730 miles (1,170 kilometers) northwest of Buenos Aires, La Rioja Secretary of Security Cesar Angulo told television station TN.

"An explosion occurred and it's believed that they collided," said Angulo.

Both Argentine pilots, identified as Juan Carlos Castillo and Roberto Abate, were killed in the crash.

According to several reports, the causes of the crash are not known.

Former Arsenal winger Sylvain Wiltord was slated to be a cast member on the show took to Twitter to share his condolence after the crash.

"I am sad for my friends, I'm shaking, I'm horrified, I can't find the words," the tweet reads.