MTV’s ‘The Challenge’ Disaster On Set — Helicopter Crash Leaves Two Dead

A tragic accident during the filming of MTV’s The Challenge has left two people dead. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the fatal incident happened this past weekend after a helicopter for the show crashed in Argentina. The exact cause of the crash has yet to be released.

The helicopter, a Bell 206, was working in the vicinity of the Potrerillos de Mendoza dam when it went down. The reservoir is approximately 620 miles from Buenos Aires and is located in a rather hilly region of northwestern Argentina. The reason why the helicopter went down is still being investigated, but further details regarding the incident are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

The crash killed the pilot of the helicopter and one technician. The names of the deceased have not officially been released. However, a search mission to recover the bodies is still underway as the helicopter did not crash on land. According to the Daily Star, the chopper crashed directly into the Mendoza river, which feeds into an artificial lake.

With the majority of the wreckage still about 200 feet underwater, search teams are having a difficult time finding the bodies of the two men. However, Gianni Vernier, a high ranking official for the province where the crash occurred, has assured everyone that divers are working hard to recover whatever they can from the wreckage.

In response to the incident, MTV has released an official statement confirming that the helicopter was working on the hit reality show, The Challenge. Apparently, the helicopter was on its way to a production location in Argentina when it crashed. MTV also confirmed that there were only two deaths in the crash, and that none of the cast members or crew members of the series were on board when the helicopter went down.

This latest helicopter accident is not the first to happen this year in Argentina. In fact, in the spring of 2015, two helicopters were involved in a fatal crash while filming for the television series Dropped. In the case of the Dropped accident, the two helicopters actually crashed into each other while flying over some jagged regions in northern Argentina.

There were ten people flying in the two helicopters, and all ten lost their lives in the tragic incident. Included in the list of the deceased were three French nationals and elite athletes: Florence Arthaud, a well-known sailor, Camille Muffat, an Olympic swimmer, and Alexis Vastine, a notable boxer.

While these two incidents are not directly related to each other, it is interesting to note that they occurred in similar regions in Argentina. At this time, MTV has not released a statement regarding the safety of its crew members working in Argentina and how the terrain may have played a factor in the recent helicopter crash.

MTV’s The Challenge is a hit reality competition that brings together the studio’s popular reality stars and pits them against each other in a series of challenges. The show has been going strong for a number of years, and the latest tragic event is the first of its kind to befall the series in its long history on air.

MTV’s The Challenge: Battle of the Bloodlines is currently airing its brand new season. With that in mind, it is not clear if the helicopter involved in the recent crash was filming for an upcoming season or just scouting locations to film the current season. The Challenge is co-produced by MTV and Bunin-Murray Productions.

While details remain vague, more information is likely to surface after the wreckage is further investigated by authorities.

The current season — The Challenge: Battle of the Bloodlines — continues Wednesday nights on MTV.

[Image via MTV]