A Defense helicopter cut a high voltage cable in Andenne early this Tuesday afternoon. The aircraft had to make a precautionary landing, while two villages were deprived of electricity. The situation was resolved a few hours later.
The high-voltage electrical cable accidentally cut by a Defense helicopter early Tuesday afternoon in Andenne has been put back into service, said Vincent Sampaoli, the Anden mayor, at the end of the day. The villages of Bonneville and Maizeret are therefore no longer deprived of electricity.
The cable was cut by an NH90 helicopter which had to make a “precautionary” landing on the territory of the municipality around 2:15 p.m. This caused a power outage in the villages of Bonneville and Maizeret. Defense is conducting an investigation to identify the precise circumstances of the incident, she communicated.
The intermunicipal company AIEG, which manages the electricity network in Andenne, was able to intervene quickly to restore power. The operation ended shortly before 7:00 p.m., said the mayor.
Alert us
Jerome lives in Bonneville, a village in Andenne. He informed us, earlier in the day on Tuesday, via the orange Alert us button, of an accident near his home: “A helicopter hits the high voltage lines in Bonneville, no news from the helicopter“, he wrote, worried.
Indeed, part of the villages of Bonneville and Maizeret, in the province of Namur, were deprived of electricity after a Defense helicopter cut a high voltage cable at the beginning of the afternoon, as announced by the mayor of Andenne on social networks. The incident took place without causing any injuries, either among the crew of four or among the local population.
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“Defense dispatched a team to investigate and secure the premises. The exact causes leading to this precautionary landing are still being analyzed. An assessment of possible material damage to the aircraft and the surrounding area is also underway.“, specifies the Defense. “This will all be part of a thorough investigation aimed at identifying the precise circumstances of the incident.“
At the same time, the mayor of Andenne, Vincent Sampaoli, announced on social networks that a breakdown on the electricity network was depriving residents of the village of Bonneville of electricity.
Andenne electricity blackout helicopter defense
