CEO of Italian salami, prosciutto company dies in helicopter crash: ‘Sad day’

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CEO of Italian salami, prosciutto company dies in helicopter crash

Lorenzo Rovagnati, the chief executive of the Rovagnati food company famous for its salami and prosciutto products, died in a helicopter crash near Parma, Italy, on Wednesday. (AP)

The chief executive of an Italian salami and prosciutto company died in a helicopter crash in north-central Italy on Wednesday, along with two other victims.

Lorenzo Rovagnati, who was the chief executive of the Rovagnati food company, in Noceto, near Parma, when his helicopter crashed, according to Biassono Mayor Luciano Casiraghi.

Video of the scene shows heavy fog around the area. The crash happened on the grounds of Castelguelfo di Noceto, a medieval castle owned by the Rovagnati family.

“I can’t believe it: a sad day for Biassono,” Casiraghi said in a Facebook post translated to English. “This evening, the mayor of Noceto called me and I learned with shock and deep sadness the news of the untimely demise of our fellow citizen Lorenzo Rovagnati, due to a tragic accident in Castelguelfo.”

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Lorenzo Rovagnati, who was the chief executive of the Rovagnati food company, died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday. (Associated Press)

“Lorenzo was a good, honest and hardworking young man, loved and valued by all who knew him in the company and beyond.”

Casiraghi described Rovagnati, 40, as a “young man who still had a great future ahead of him, as a father and as an entrepreneur.”

“I am [in] disbelief by what happened,” the local politician wrote. “I send my deepest condolences to the whole family and his beloved wife.”

The city of Biassono observed a mourning period from Feb. 6 to Feb. 8. In another post, Casiraghi wrote that Lorenzo and his family “actively participated in the social and economic development of Biassono in the interest of our whole community.”

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The helicopter crashed in Noceto, near Parma, Italy. (Associated Press)

“We will never forget him and we will always be grateful!” the mayor said. “What I can say is: we are united in the pain of the tragic demise of our fellow citizen Lorenzo and we express closeness to the family.”

Rovagnati produces various types of salumi, or Italian antipasto meat, including proscuitto, salami and mortadella. 

“Italian salumi is one of the foods that heavily represents Italian food culture and its values,” Rovagnati’s American website reads. “All our products are made with the typical methods of the Italian tradition: steam cooking, curing or brick oven cooking that preserves the properties and natural characteristics of the meat, by ensuring at the same time a high digestibility.”

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Crash scene footage shows heavy fog around the area. (Associated Press)

Authorities are investigating the crash. Fox News Digital reached out to Rovagnati for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Andrea Margolis is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Readers can send story tips to andrea.margolis@fox.com.