- Three soldiers had parachuted from a helicopter as part of an airshow in Belgium
- Co-pilot monitoring jump turned back to find pilot was not in seat and door open
- The aircraft lurched forward and the co-pilot was forced to grab the controls
- A major search operation has been launched near Liège to find the missing pilot
A search operation is underway after a Belgian Army pilot mysteriously fell out his military helicopter without a parachute during an airshow.
The co-pilot of the Agusta A-109 had been watching three troops jump from the aircraft near Liège, Belgium – but then turned back to see the pilot was no longer in his seat and his door open.
With the helicopter flying at 3,900ft, its nose lurched forward and the co-pilot was forced to grab the controls to stabilise it.
A search operation (pictured) is underway after a Belgian Army pilot mysteriously fell out his military helicopter without a parachute during an airshow
The reason for the pilot’s fall, which happened during a regiment open day demonstration at Amay, remains a mystery.
According to media reports, three soldiers with parachutes performed a skydive leap from the aircraft watched by the co-pilot who monitored them to make sure they did not hit power cables and had landed safely.
He turned back to the cockpit only to find that the pilot, who did not have a parachute, was not there.
The co-pilot of the Agusta A-109 (file picture) had been watching three troops jump from the aircraft near Liège, Belgium – but then turned back to see the pilot was no longer in his seat and his door open
A major search operation (pictured) is continuing today with divers brought in to scour the River Meuse
A major search operation is continuing today with divers brought in to scour the River Meuse.
Heavy woodland in the area has hampered the operation and a helicopter with thermal imaging technology is being used.