PARIS (Reuters) – French billionaire Olivier Dassault died in a helicopter crash on Sunday, a police source told President Emmanuel Macron paying tribute to the 69-year-old Conservative politician.
Dassault was the eldest son of the late French billionaire industrialist Serge Dassault, whose namesake Dassault Aviation built the Rafale warplanes and owned the newspaper Le Figaro.
“Olivier Dassault loved France. Captain of the industry, legislator, local elected official, reserve commander in the air force: during his life he never stopped serving our country to appreciate its value. His sudden death is a “Great loss. Thoughts on his family and loved ones,” Macron said on Twitter.
The private helicopter crashed in Normandy on Sunday afternoon, where he has a holiday home, according to a police source. The pilot was also killed.
Dassault, a lawmaker for the conservative Les Republicains party since 2002, is considered the 361st richest man in the world along with his two siblings, with a wealth of about 6 billion euros ($ 7.15 billion) which is mostly inherited from his father, according to the Forbes in 2020. rich list.
He resigned from his role on Dassault’s board because of his political role in avoiding conflicts of interest.
Olivier, who is considered the favorite of founder Marcel, was previously considered the favorite to succeed Serge at the head of the family property, but Charles Edelstenne, former CEO of Dassault Aviation, took the role.
“Great sadness over the news of the sudden passing of Olivier Dassault,” Valerie Pecresse, a Conservative politician who is president of the Paris region, said on Twitter.
“A businessman, but also a well-known photographer, has a passion for politics in his blood, rooted in his department Oise. My heartfelt thoughts to his family.”
($ 1 = 0.8393 euros)
(Reported by Bhargav Acharya in Bengaluru and the Newsroom in Paris; edited by William Maclean, Catherine Evans and Frances Kerry)