A fire department vehicle is seen near the crash site close to the Eura Airfield in Eura, Finland, on May 17, 2025. Two civilian helicopters crashed in Eura on Saturday, according to the Satakunta rescue department. Photo: Petri Hakosalo / Str / Lehtikuva
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Two private helicopters crashed near Eura, southwest Finland, on Saturday, killing all five people on board. The victims included well-known Estonian businessman Oleg Sõnajalg, authorities and local media confirmed.
The helicopters, both Robinson R44 models, departed from Tallinn on Saturday morning. They were heading to an aviation event at the Piikajärvi Airfield in Kokemäki, organised by a local flying club.
According to the Finnish police and Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the helicopters collided shortly after midday and crashed into a forested area. The wreckage was found about 100 metres apart.
Preliminary data from flight tracking services show the aircraft flew in close formation for most of the journey. At around 12.30pm, both disappeared from radar near Eura Airfield. Witnesses in the area reported seeing the helicopters fly close together before one abruptly shifted direction and struck the other.
“One of them dropped like a stone,” said local resident Antti Marjanen, who contacted emergency services after seeing the collision.
Emergency crews reached the scene quickly. One of the helicopters caught fire on impact. Rescue teams used the smoke to locate the site and soon discovered the second helicopter nearby. The Finnish Defence Forces assisted in securing the area. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is leading the inquiry into the cause of the crash.
Police confirmed that there were two people aboard one aircraft and three in the other. The identities of both pilots are known, but officials are still verifying the identities of the passengers.
One of the pilots was Oleg Sõnajalg, 58, a well-known Estonian entrepreneur in the wind power sector. He was also known for travelling frequently between the mainland and his home on the island of Saaremaa by helicopter. According to aviation
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
