An aerial view shows work under way at Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, which was damaged in a devastating fire four years ago, as restoration works continue, in Paris, France, July 18, 2023. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol
PARIS (Reuters) - The man heading the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris following a devastating fire three years ago has died in an accident while hiking in the Pyrenees.
General Jean-Louis Georgelin's death was reported by French media and confirmed by President Emmanuel Macron.
"The nation loses one of its great soldiers. France, one of its great servants. And Notre-Dame, the architect of its revival," Macron said on social media X, formally known as Twitter.
A celebrated landmark, the cathedral has been closed for restoration since a fire in April 2019 gutted its roof and sent its spire crashing down, stunning people in Paris and around the world.
Georgelin, a 74-year-old army general, was appointed to lead the renovation following the fire. Authorities hope to reopen the cathedral by 2024, when the French capital hosts the Olympic Games.
Notre-Dame will be restored to its previous design, including the 96-metre (315-feet) spire designed by architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc in the mid-1800s.
(Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau and Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Frances Kerry)
