Eight French passengers and their two Argentine pilots died in the crash, a police source said. President Francois Hollande’s office later confirmed the victims included stars Arthaud, Muffat and Vastine.

Arthaud, 57, was considered one of the best sailors in the world, a woman who conquered what had been a strictly male-dominated sport. Her titles included the 1990 Route du Rhum, the most prestigious race to cross the Atlantic solo.

Muffat, 25, was a top swimmer at the London Olympics in 2012, bringing home three medals, including the gold in the 400-meter freestyle.

Vastine, 28, won a bronze medal at the Beijing games in 2008 in the light welterweight category.

“Dropped,” which was to air on French television channel TF1, involved eight sports stars being dropped into inhospitable environments for an adventure- and survival-themed reality show.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote:French reality show producers don't seem to havery much luck when it comes to their contestants not dying. Shame...

General Mackevili wrote:And Harrison Ford crash landed a plane on a golf course this week. No, not a movie, the real Harrison Ford. He walked it off.

The two helicopters collided in mid-air during perfect flying conditions just after take-off from a football pitch while filming the second episode of a new adventure show, Dropped, for France’s biggest private TV station, TF1. The programme, an adaptation of a Swedish format, was to feature an all-star cast of French sporting figures taken blindfolded by helicopter and left in the wilderness to find their way back to civilisation. In total, eight French nationals were killed, including crew members, as well as two Argentinian pilots. There were no survivors.

Cowshed Cowboy wrote:I couldn't believe the story when I read it this morning, they were filming a reality TV series called " Survivor "