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From Phoenix Online:
Rich Chinese Businessman Dies With Son During Helicopter Tour of Newly-Acquired French Vineyard
\Original title: Hong Kong Resident and Rich Mainland Businessman Hao Lin Involved in Crash During Helicopter Tour of Chateau in France
ChinaNews December 21 report — According to a report on Hong Kong’s Ming Pao website, after Hong Kong resident and rich mainland businessman Hao Lin [Lam Kok] purchased a winery in France, he and his son were on a helicopter tour when it crashed, with both of them missing, and one body recovered on the scene. (Editor’s note: According to AFP reports, the two have perished.)
According to the report, the incident happened on the 20th, and the local government has dispatched a helicopter, rubber dinghy, divers and about one hundred people to search the [crash] site, and they have dredged up one corpse from the helicopter wreckage in the River Dordogne, but whose identity is unknown. The search and rescue work has been suspended due to the dark, and will continue again on the 21st. The Chinese embassy in France claimed the French authorities are rescuing and salvaging overnight.
AFP reports the helicopter was piloted by James Gregoire, the former owner and thus seller of the chateau, carrying 46-year-old Yunnan Brilliant Group CEO Hao Lin, Hao Lin’s 12-year-old son, and a translator.
Shortly before the incident, Hao Lin had just represented the Brilliant Group in completing the acquisition of the vineyard, and had held a celebration party as well as a press conference.
According to reports, this acquisition by the Brilliant Group is of Chateau de la Riviere, a famous historic local winery. It is said that this is the largest Chinese acquisition in Bordeaux.
An AFP photographer who participated in the press conference said Hao Lin had introduced the acquisition plan a little earlier on the 20th, that his corporate team had dinner with the former chateau owner James Gregoire and associates.
After dinner, Gregoire intended to take Hao Lin aboard a helicopter to tour the 65 hectare vineyard. Hao Lin and his son boarded the helicopter, while his wife and Brilliant Group Chairman Liu Xiangyun pulled out at the last minute saying she was “scared of helicopters”.
Chateau staff found that they had not returned after 20 minutes, and so called the police. Authorities soon afterwards confirmed that the helicopter had crashed into the River Dordogne, and launched a search and rescue.
The AFP reporter said Gregoire had performed a routine take-off inspection before the incident.
China’s embassy in France said the embassy director is already leading a team to the scene to handle the accident. The China Hong Kong Immigration Department on the 21st also indicated that they have received the relevant assistance, and learned that the embassy has already got in touch with the family members.
Comments from Phoenix Online (1 & 2):
凤凰网新浪微博网友：回头一看离岸已远
Sometimes having too much money is not a good thing.
凤凰网北京市网友：手机用户
May they rest in peace then, though I still hope some money will be donated to those children who can’t afford to go to school.
凤凰网吉林省长春市网友：tablecool
This is why reading more books [studying] and being familiar with the local customs is very important. you don’t even know this manor has this big of a secret?
凤凰网内蒙古呼伦贝尔市网友：天堂草原111
Dead, and haven’t even finished spending all the money.
凤凰网福建省厦门市网友：凤凰网友
May the dead rest in peace. “Condolences to the family”, be strong, God loves you.
凤凰网上海市长宁区网友：sjg1965
The chateau’s ancestors express their objection [to the sale/acquisition].
凤凰网湖北省荆州市网友：风铃上的露珠
No matter how much money they have, they no longer have a life to spend it. Life is fickle.
凤凰网新浪微博网友：Q49是358720476
Life is too fragile, so we should cherish the present and be happy everyday!
凤凰网福建省泉州市网友：木易行者
Some good things cannot be bought with money, and some things that can be bought with money are not necessary good things.
凤凰网新浪微博网友：不再犹豫再见理想光辉岁月
Never mind the erotic hot spring they build in Jinyun Temple, just their investment of 250 million RMB into the French chateau alone, do they not know how many people in Kunming are still struggling to have enough food and clothing? Could they not have invested in Kunming? Prices in Kunming are currently amongst the highest in the nation, while wages are amongst the lowest. Private supermarkets have all been squeezed into bankruptcy by foreign supermarkets, while the wages given by foreign supermarkets in Kunming are considered the world’s lowest. Sigh, those who have gotten rich first [referring to Deng Xiaoping’s famous words that some must get rich before others].
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