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Helicopter crashes in sea off east Yorkshire coast Two men die in helicopter crash off east Yorkshire coast
(about 1 hour later)
A huge search and rescue operation is under way after a helicopter crashed off the coast of east Yorkshire. Two men have died after the private helicopter they were flying 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, prompting a major air and sea rescue mission.
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. The bodies of two men, who have yet to be named, were recoved shortly before 5pm.
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. Onlookers said they heard a "loud crack" before the helicopter disappeared behind the cliffs and ditched into the sea 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." One witness said the helicopter appeared to collide with the cliffs, but a police spokeswoman said the circumstances of the crash had yet to be established.
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. The helicopter was a private charter flying from an airfield near Edinburgh to Retford, Nottinghamshire. The medium-sized aircraft was due to land at Humberside airport shortly after 2pm to refuel before going on to its final destination.
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. Humberside police said the Air Accident Investigation Branch was leading an inquiry into the incident, as onlookers at a nearby golf course told of the moment the helicopter ditched into the sea.
Rod Marwood, 67, chairman of Flamborough Head golf club, said he heard a change in the helicopter engine noise before seeing it fall into the sea. "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.""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, another member of the 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". 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.
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.
"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. Scott Cooper, assistant greenkeeper at the golf club, said he heard the aircraft make a "splutter" noise before it went down. "I saw a white helicopter which looked to be OK at first, it didn't seem to be in any trouble. Then it started to splutter and it started to sway and I thought the pilot was trying to make a landing but it didn't make it. We heard a bang and all ran across," he said.
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. "We couldn't see a great deal over the cliffs but a few bits of the helicopter and there was a very strong smell of fuel. It was awful."
Paul Litten, the commercial director of Humberside airport, said the helicopter had been due to refuel at the airport shortly after 2pm before going on to its final destination near Retford. He added: "All of our thoughts at Humberside airport are with the families of the two men."