The Baltic News Service agency said today that the crash took place in the Priekule region in southwestern Latvia during one of the stages of the Rally Liepaja, which is part of the European Rally Championship rounds.
The agency, citing Latvian officials and witness accounts, said the helicopter apparently got tangled up in an electricity cable as it was taking off.
Latvian news portal Delfi said the the four-seater Robinson R44 helicopter belonged to a local company that was offering charter flights to rally spectators.