Security official Francis Mene said the Super Puma AS 532 AL came down while carrying out a test flight deep in the Verdon Gorge.
One of the possible causes of the accident being considered is that the chopper hit an electricity cable, a source close to the crash inquiry said.
The bodies were recovered close to the village of La-Palud-sur-Verdon.
The aircraft belonged to the company Eurocopter, the firm's spokesman confirmed.
He said the six men on board were test pilots and engineers, who were testing the helicopter ahead of delivery to a buyer.
Experts from the French aviation safety authority and Eurocopter staff are on the way to the site to help determine the cause.
The helicopter came down near a group of people hiking, and one of them was injured in the crash.
Stephane Chery, the head of International Media Relations for aviation company Eurocopter, said all six were company employees. The EADS-owned firm earlier issued a statement confirming the aircraft involved was manufactured by them, adding that they were working on identifying the circumstances and exact cause of the accident.
The rocky, limestone area — seen as France's answer to the Grand Canyon — is one of Europe's most beautiful river canyons and extremely popular with tourists and hikers. At 700 meters (2297 feet) deep, it is also one of Europe's biggest.
Mene, speaking on French station BFM-TV, said the helicopter crashed "very deep in the gorge" near the village of Aiguines.
A private jet crashed in the same region earlier this month, killing three people.
Wednesday 25 July 2012
http://news.sky.com/story/965060/six-dead-after-helicopter-crash-in-france
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