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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Probe after rally ace feared dead | Probe after rally ace feared dead |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Air accident investigators have started searching a helicopter crash which is believed to have killed former rally champion Colin McRae and three others. | Air accident investigators have started searching a helicopter crash which is believed to have killed former rally champion Colin McRae and three others. |
| The helicopter which belonged to Mr McRae crashed near his home in Lanarkshire on Saturday. | The helicopter which belonged to Mr McRae crashed near his home in Lanarkshire on Saturday. |
| About 40 firefighters attended the accident which happened in woods just north of Lanark at 1600 BST. | About 40 firefighters attended the accident which happened in woods just north of Lanark at 1600 BST. |
| Strathclyde Police said it was unlikely that formal identification of the bodies would be completed on Sunday. | Strathclyde Police said it was unlikely that formal identification of the bodies would be completed on Sunday. |
| However, officers confirmed that they believed that Mr McRae was among those on board. | However, officers confirmed that they believed that Mr McRae was among those on board. |
| Users of the rally champion's official website www.colinmcrae.com were greeted by a black screen on Sunday with no information available. | Users of the rally champion's official website www.colinmcrae.com were greeted by a black screen on Sunday with no information available. |
| After it disappeared I saw smoke rising from the trees and phoned the emergency services Eyewitness David Lowry | After it disappeared I saw smoke rising from the trees and phoned the emergency services Eyewitness David Lowry |
| Police have been at the scene throughout the night and a cordon has been thrown around the area, including a private road up to the McRae family home. | Police have been at the scene throughout the night and a cordon has been thrown around the area, including a private road up to the McRae family home. |
| Mr McRae, 39, who is married with two young children, was Britain's first rally world champion in 1995 and is the son of five times British rallying champion Jimmy McRae. | Mr McRae, 39, who is married with two young children, was Britain's first rally world champion in 1995 and is the son of five times British rallying champion Jimmy McRae. |
| Speaking in the Scotland on Sunday newspaper, David Lowry, 48, who owns New Steadings Farm, near Mr McRae's home, witnessed the crash. | |
| He said: "I was speaking to one of my friends on the farm. The helicopter came overhead and then dropped into the valley. | He said: "I was speaking to one of my friends on the farm. The helicopter came overhead and then dropped into the valley. |
| Wider fame | Wider fame |
| "After it disappeared I saw smoke rising from the trees and phoned the emergency services. | "After it disappeared I saw smoke rising from the trees and phoned the emergency services. |
| "I could not see what happened when it went down. It did not seem to be in any trouble. It was about half a mile from me and the helicopter seemed to be flying normally. | "I could not see what happened when it went down. It did not seem to be in any trouble. It was about half a mile from me and the helicopter seemed to be flying normally. |
| "It was navy blue in colour and I am led to believe it belongs to Colin McRae. It is up so often my cattle don't even flinch when it is overhead." | "It was navy blue in colour and I am led to believe it belongs to Colin McRae. It is up so often my cattle don't even flinch when it is overhead." |
| He added: "I know him well enough to say hello to, although I don't know him personally. If it turns out to be him it will have an unbelievable effect on the local community. | He added: "I know him well enough to say hello to, although I don't know him personally. If it turns out to be him it will have an unbelievable effect on the local community. |
| There were no survivors of the crash on the outskirts of Lanark | |
| "Colin is a very popular person around here. We only moved here seven years ago, but they are a Lanark family born and bred." | "Colin is a very popular person around here. We only moved here seven years ago, but they are a Lanark family born and bred." |
| Mr McRae is said to be a great practical joker and admitted to enjoying the adrenaline rush of activities such as bungee jumping. | |
| He moved to the principality of Monaco in 1995, partly through his friendship with David Coulthard. | |
| But as his family grew up, he spent more time back at his home in Lanarkshire. He and his wife Alison bought the 17th century Jerviswood House. | |
| His brother, Alister, is also a professional rally driver and has enjoyed some success, including winning the British Rally Championship in 1995. | |
| Mr McRae's sister is a doctor at the University Hospital in County Durham and she too enjoys rally driving. | |
| He also achieved wider fame by endorsing a range of successful video games. Codemasters released the first Colin McRae Rally title in 1998. | |
| Colin McRae: DiRT was the title for the latest installment of the games series which launched this year on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. |