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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/16/helicopter-crashes-sea-east-yorkshire-coast-flamborough
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| Helicopter crashes in sea off east Yorkshire coast | Helicopter crashes in sea off east Yorkshire coast |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A huge search and rescue operation is under way after a helicopter crashed off the coast of east Yorkshire. | |
| The private aircraft was seen falling into the sea near Flamborough at 1.40pm on Tuesday, and police, coastguard and ambulance services were at the scene. | The private aircraft was seen falling into the sea near Flamborough at 1.40pm on Tuesday, and police, coastguard and ambulance services were at the scene. |
| A Humberside police spokeswoman said it was not known how many people were on board the downed helicopter, which an onlooker said appeared to collide with the cliff before plummeting into the sea. | A Humberside police spokeswoman said it was not known how many people were on board the downed helicopter, which an onlooker said appeared to collide with the cliff before plummeting into the sea. |
| A police statement said emergency services attended the site immediately and a search resulted in the helicopter being found in the sea off the coast of Flamborough near a lighthouse. | |
| "An area has been cordoned off while the emergency services and coastguard continue their work. Initial inquiries are being made in order to try and establish the circumstances which led to the helicopter coming down." | "An area has been cordoned off while the emergency services and coastguard continue their work. Initial inquiries are being made in order to try and establish the circumstances which led to the helicopter coming down." |
| Members of the public had been asked to stay away from the crash site because of dangerous cliff edges and aviation fuel in the water. | Members of the public had been asked to stay away from the crash site because of dangerous cliff edges and aviation fuel in the water. |
| Rod Marwood, 67, the chairman of Flamborough Head golf club, said he heard a change in the helicopter engine noise before seeing it fall into the sea. He said: "A group of lads who were on the course at the time said there was a loud bang as it hit the cliff. From where I was it sounded like a car backfiring. | |
| "It was a jumble of metal and pieces of helicopter at the bottom of the cliff. The police and the air ambulance were there by the time we got there and the area has been cordoned off." | |
| According to the Bridlington Free Press, the helicopter got into difficulties at about 1.30pm. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which was coordinating the search and rescue operation, said it believed the aircraft was returning to Humberside airport when it got into difficulties. | |
| Chris Feast, from Flamborough Head golf club, said a number of golfers had spotted a helicopter trying to land near the 17th green and then reported hearing a "loud bang and crash". | Chris Feast, from Flamborough Head golf club, said a number of golfers had spotted a helicopter trying to land near the 17th green and then reported hearing a "loud bang and crash". |
| The Bridlington lifeboat was launched at 1.59pm. | The Bridlington lifeboat was launched at 1.59pm. |
| Chris Palmer said he heard a loud "crack" and the helicopter disappeared out of sight behind the cliffs. He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "We heard the helicopter. It was like a white, private helicopter going along the coast. | Chris Palmer said he heard a loud "crack" and the helicopter disappeared out of sight behind the cliffs. He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "We heard the helicopter. It was like a white, private helicopter going along the coast. |
| "We all heard this really loud crack and looked up again. The helicopter started to descend, almost like a plane when it lands. | "We all heard this really loud crack and looked up again. The helicopter started to descend, almost like a plane when it lands. |
| "It then went behind the cliff and that's when I called the emergency services. I never actually heard it hit the sea." | "It then went behind the cliff and that's when I called the emergency services. I never actually heard it hit the sea." |
| The Air Accident Investigations Board has deployed a team to the scene to investigate the incident. | The Air Accident Investigations Board has deployed a team to the scene to investigate the incident. |
| A Yorkshire ambulance service spokeswoman said it had received a call at 1.39pm reporting that a helicopter had crashed into a cliff at Flamborough. She said an air ambulance, an ambulance, rapid response vehicles and the RAF all attended the scene. | A Yorkshire ambulance service spokeswoman said it had received a call at 1.39pm reporting that a helicopter had crashed into a cliff at Flamborough. She said an air ambulance, an ambulance, rapid response vehicles and the RAF all attended the scene. |