The pilot of the French helicopter was waiting for the call.

He spoke into his radio and the French helicopter moved off to the side so that the lifting line was at an angle.

Five helicopters - four French and one British - are standing by at a military airfield here.

French helicopters intervened to help Malian soldiers pinned down by the rebels.

A French helicopter located the site when it spotted flames about an hour after the crash.

The situation was controlled by pro-government forces after heavy fighting which included an air attack on the police station by French helicopters.

But the plan began to fall apart the moment the first four French helicopters landed at Zvornik.

So he imported a special French helicopter with a camera mounted on the front and reshot the entire scene.

Topics discussed included a Lebanese request for a supply of French military helicopters.

French helicopters made reconnaisance flights over the area after the shooting and reported seeing a number of bodies on the beach, he said.