Three killed after two helicopters collide in Oregon, US

San Francisco (ANTARA) - Three people were killed after two helicopters collided in mid-air on Thursday near a small airport south-west of Portland, in the US state of Oregon, local authorities said.

Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott said at a press conference on Thursday that the collision occurred at about 2.15pm local time (2115 GMT) near McMinnville Municipal Airport, south-east of McMinnville.

All three people aboard the two helicopters were killed.

The victims were a flight instructor from Texas, a student pilot from the United Kingdom and a pilot from Newberg, Oregon, according to local authorities.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the aircraft involved as a Robinson R22 helicopter carrying one pilot and an Airbus H125 helicopter carrying two people.

The FAA and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the collision. The NTSB will lead the investigation and provide further information. The cause of the incident remains unknown.