The Erongo Police have released the names of the two people who died in a helicopter accident near the Swakopmund airport.

One of the deceased was 54-year-old Jacques Jacobs, a Chief Pilot and Pilot Instructor at the Flying School Company.

29-year-old Dirk Von Weidts, an aviation engineer, also perished in the accident.

He was from the Namibian Base Aviation Company Maintenance Flight and Helicopter at Swakopmund.

According to the preliminary incident report, the duo was fixing the helicopter's rotary blades and later took it for a test flight.

It is suspected that, while up in the air, the pilot lost control over the helicopter, which resulted in it crashing.

The investigation is ongoing.