Body of missing soldier recovered in Portugal helicopter crash

Lisbon, Sep 1 : The body of a missing soldier involved in a helicopter crash in northern Portugal has been recovered, according to Portugal's civil protection authorities.

The helicopter, with a pilot and five soldiers on board, crashed on Friday on the Douro River while returning from firefighting operations in northern Portugal.

The crash killed all the soldiers, with four bodies retrieved on Friday and the fifth on Saturday afternoon. The pilot suffered injuries, and is currently receiving medical care, Xinhua news agency reported.

The impact was described as "strong," leading to the "total destruction of the aircraft", said Rui Silva Lampreia, regional commander of the Northern Maritime Police, quoted by local media.

The Portuguese government has initiated an investigation into the cause of the crash.