From Iceland — Helicopter Pilot Charged In Holuhraun Landing

Helicopter Pilot Charged In Holuhraun Landing

Published January 6, 2016

Andie Sophia Fontaine
Photo by
Axel Sigurðarson

The helicopter pilot who flew a Kazakhstani billionaire to the site of the then-erupting Holuhraun volcano has been charged.

Vísir reports that the pilot in question, while working for Reykjavík Helicopters, flew Goga Ashkenazi to the site on at least three occasions in September and October 2014.

At the time, the general public was forbidden from the area surrounding Holuhraun. Ashkenazi and entourage not only entered the area, but also landed there, and took an infamous video of themselves dancing only metres away from the active eruption. The video was in turn uploaded to her Instagram account (which has since been taken down).

Northeast Iceland police have now filed charges against the helicopter pilot who flew them to the area. No charges have been filed against Ashkenazi.

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