A longstanding leader in the meat industry has been identified among those killed in a deadly helicopter crash in regional Victoria.
Paul Troja, 73, was among the five people who died when a chartered helicopter crashed on Mt Disappointment, north of Melbourne, yesterday.
The Albert Park man was the chairman of Radfords, and served as a non-executive director of national body Meat and Livestock Australia from 2003-2009.
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The helicopter had been headed to Ulupna in Victoria's north.
All aboard, including the pilot, were killed, police confirmed.
The investigation into the crash is continuing.
"It's believed the chartered helicopter had taken off from Moorabbin Airport before picking up passengers in Batman Park, Melbourne about 7am," Victoria Police said.
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The helicopter was one of two travelling north in convoy from Melbourne's CBD over when it disappeared just after 9.30am, according to Victoria Police.
Both Microflite Helicopter Services aircraft took off from the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne CBD near Crown just before 8am.
The wreckage was found near Blair's Hut at about 11.45am.
The second helicopter landed without incident at Moorabbin Airport in Melbourne's south-east, after raising the alarm.
Microflite Helicopter Services' executive general manager Rodney Higgins said the private charter flight that crashed was being flown by a highly respected pilot.
Police said the cause of the crash was still unknown.
However, experts have this morning suggested low-flying cloud and poor visibility could be to blame, with the chopper itself cited as a highly reliable model.
Microflite has grounded all its flights until Tuesday.
More to come.
