President of Georgia awarded the crew, rescuers and first responders who died in the border police helicopter crash near the winter resort town of Gudauri in Georgia’s north on Friday with the state Medal for Civic Dedication.

“Zaza Loria, Dimitri Kaadze, Levan Chokheli, Andro Kujoshvili, Giorgi Margiani, Kakha Torchinava, Girgi Venetski and Ketevan Gulaghashvili, who died during the rescue operation in Gudauri, have been awarded for their highest civic responsibility and exemplary, selfless actions shown during the rescue operation“, - reads the statement of Salome Zourabichvili’s administration.

The helicopter on a rescue operation in Gudauri lost control and crashed in a ravine on Friday, July 29.