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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Five dead after helicopter crash | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Five bodies have been recovered from the sea following a helicopter crash off Morecambe Bay, police have said. | |
| A major rescue operation was launched after the Eurocopter AS365N with seven people on board came down. | |
| The aircraft took off from Blackpool Airport and was ferrying Centrica personnel to a gas field in the bay. | |
| Two crew members and five rig workers were thought to be missing. Rescue helicopters from RAF Valley and RAF Leconfield joined the search. | |
| Lifeboats, coastguard crews and a rig support vessel were also alerted. | |
| Five bodies had been recovered by 2130 GMT and were brought ashore. | |
| The search was continuing for the other two missing, a spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said. | |
| 'Distress beacon' | 'Distress beacon' |
| Michael Mulford, from the Royal Air Force Rescue Centre, said contact with the helicopter was lost at around 1800 GMT. | Michael Mulford, from the Royal Air Force Rescue Centre, said contact with the helicopter was lost at around 1800 GMT. |
| He told BBC News 24: "We do not know whether this is a controlled landing or a crash - the two are very different. | He told BBC News 24: "We do not know whether this is a controlled landing or a crash - the two are very different. |
| "We have located the site of a distress beacon, which all aircraft carry and which activate automatically if they do come done on water, one or two minutes after the coastguard called us. | |
| "This is an air search to see if we can find any trace of what befell this aircraft. | "This is an air search to see if we can find any trace of what befell this aircraft. |
| Families contacted | Families contacted |
| A Maritime Coastguard spokesman said the helicopter had ditched around 25 miles off the coast. | A Maritime Coastguard spokesman said the helicopter had ditched around 25 miles off the coast. |
| Centrica is contacting all families connected with its Morecambe Bay gas fields and has "expressed its thoughts for those missing at this time". | Centrica is contacting all families connected with its Morecambe Bay gas fields and has "expressed its thoughts for those missing at this time". |
| The rescue is being co-ordinated by Liverpool coastguards and lifeboats from Fleetwood and Barrow have been sent to the scene. | The rescue is being co-ordinated by Liverpool coastguards and lifeboats from Fleetwood and Barrow have been sent to the scene. |
| Lancashire Constabulary are setting up an incident room to help co-ordinate the rescue attempt in Blackpool. | Lancashire Constabulary are setting up an incident room to help co-ordinate the rescue attempt in Blackpool. |
| Have you been affected by this incident? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below. | Have you been affected by this incident? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below. |
| If you have any pictures or moving footage you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 07725 100 100 | If you have any pictures or moving footage you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 07725 100 100 |
| Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |