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UKIP's Farage hurt in plane crash UKIP's Farage hurt in plane crash
(about 2 hours later)
The former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage has been injured in a plane crash in Northamptonshire.The former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage has been injured in a plane crash in Northamptonshire.
The plane carrying two people crashed at Hinton in the Hedges Airfield at Steane, near Brackley, at 0759 BST. The plane carrying two people crashed at Hinton-in-the-Hedges Airfield at Steane, near Brackley, at 0759 BST.
Mr Farage was taken to hospital in Banbury with non-life threatening injuries, and the pilot was transferred to University Hospital in Coventry. Mr Farage is being treated at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and the pilot at University Hospital, Coventry.
The plane came down an hour after polling stations opened for voting in the general election. The aircraft came down an hour after polling stations opened for general election voting and it is thought it was caused by the trailing banner.
The pilot, who was trapped in the wreckage and had to be airlifted to hospital, is believed to be more seriously injured of the two. A spokesperson for UKIP said "it was unlikely Mr Farage would be discharged from hospital today".
We've had unconfirmed reports that either the banner got snagged up, or there were cross-winds and it was unfamiliar airfield to the pilot UKIP spokesman class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/8663716.stm">General election voting under way He said: "He (Mr Farage) suffered facial cuts and bruises and injuries to his chest and there might be some damage to his ribs.
Chris Adams, UKIP parliamentary candidate for Aylesbury, said: "Nigel was unconscious but he can talk. "I doubt he's going to be there for the (election) results."
"He's been coming in and out of consciousness and is now being X-rayed." Chris Adams, UKIP parliamentary candidate for Aylesbury, earlier said Mr Farage had been "coming and in and out of consciousness" and had been X-rayed.
The pilot, who was trapped in the wreckage and had to be airlifted to hospital, is believed to be the more seriously injured of the two.
We've had unconfirmed reports that either the banner got snagged up, or there were cross-winds and it was an unfamiliar airfield to the pilot UKIP spokesman General election voting under way
The aircraft was due to circle over Buckingham, where Mr Farage is standing as a candidate, trailing a banner, a UKIP spokesman said.The aircraft was due to circle over Buckingham, where Mr Farage is standing as a candidate, trailing a banner, a UKIP spokesman said.
Mike Jose, Mr Farage's assistant, said they had previously flown the plane and banner over the constituency without any problems.Mike Jose, Mr Farage's assistant, said they had previously flown the plane and banner over the constituency without any problems.
A UKIP spokesman said the aircraft had flown into the airfield from Winchester area and was taking off again when the accident happened Mr Farage and the pilot were lucky to escape serious injury, police said.
He added: "We've had unconfirmed reports that either the banner got snagged up, or there were cross-winds and it was unfamiliar airfield to the pilot." Surveying the mangled metal of the aircraft, Det Ch Insp Martin Kinchin, of Northamptonshire Police, said: "Looking at the wreckage behind me, I think you can make your own judgment as to how lucky they were.
But Mr Adams said he had spoken to an aviation expert who said the banner could not have got caught up in the tail fin, as some reports had suggested. "The people inside the plane were lucky to come out with not very serious injuries."
The plane had been preparing to land on the concrete runway when it crashed, officers believe.
White banner
Describing how the crash happened, he said: "It is our belief that the plane had recently taken off from here and was manoeuvring back to the airfield."
When asked if the UKIP banner had become tangled in the aircraft, causing the crash, he said it was too early to speculate.
The white banner, which landed several hundred metres from the plane, had been attached to it previously, he confirmed.
The engine landed a short distance from the body of the plane.
The airfield has now been closed and the crash is due to be investigated by the Air Accident Investigation Branch, Northamptonshire Police said.The airfield has now been closed and the crash is due to be investigated by the Air Accident Investigation Branch, Northamptonshire Police said.
East Midlands Ambulance Service and fire crews remain at the scene.East Midlands Ambulance Service and fire crews remain at the scene.
Mr Farage is a Member of the European Parliament, representing South East England.