Three French flood rescuers killed in helicopter crash: interior ministry

Three emergency workers were killed in a helicopter crash near Marseille while on a rescue mission in flood-hit southern France, the interior ministry said Monday.

Their EC145 helicopter lost radio and radar contact while on a rescue and reconnaissance flight in the Var region Sunday night.

The three were found dead at 1:30 am near the town of Rove, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner and his secretary of state Laurent Nunez said in a statement.