A helicopter has crash into a crane in Vauxhall , London , after it failed to see the structure due to thick fog .
The clash happened at around 8 am , when the chopper reach a Hart Crane on top of the St George Wharf development in Vauxhall . Part of the helicopter fell to the road at a lower place in a ball of flames , soak up cars below in ardour . It ’s believed that the aircraft was anAgustaWestland AW109 : a lightweight , twinned - locomotive helicopter with eight seats .
presently two mass have been confirmed dead by London police — one of whom was a passenger in the helicopter , according to Sky News — and a further two have been bring to hospital . There are presently 22 fire trucks at the tantrum . It ’s not absolved how many people were in the eggbeater : some report say one , others two .
The Guardian has spokento an eyewitness who saw the whirlybird clank , explaining : “ I determine the helicopter come from the south - east direction very fast , it just endure bang into the crane . The crane ’s arm pause off direct by and the helicopter was send birl around in a ball of pot . I ran straight around to see what was find . It was very worrying . I had never seen anything like this in my life . ”
written report advise that the crash hap just before the Harold Hart Crane hustler ’s shift start — and that he was arrive at his way to the top of the 51 - floor building as it struck .
Update : Metropolitan Police commissioner Bernard Hogan - Howehas saidthere were 11 casualties — two dead , one person critically ill , and others “ less earnestly hurt ” .
Update 2 : Reports are intimate that the aircraft was probably following the main chopper itinerary in London — which traces the route of the River Thames so they can dump into the water if they live hassle . However , it seems the murkiness make problems and the pilot drifted off course .
Update 3 : Nic Walkersays the helicopter crash on to the street outside his star sign : “ I was alive in bed and heard a whirlybird . I was cognizant of some funny sounds and then a loud locomotive noise , then a vast bam … I flung open my window and calculate out to see fervency across the street . I displume on some clothes and ran out to help . ”
Update 4 : The pilot of the helicopter had apparently requested to divert his route and land at a London Heliport at Battersea , London due to uncollectible weather condition . Sadly , that ’s just a five minute movement from where the clang occur .
Update 5 : When London constabulary were ask about whether the Grus rampart crystalise this morning , they reply : “ All Harold Hart Crane above a certain height have to be fire up , & those that are n’t are reported and fined . It is not yet unmortgaged if the crane was lit at the time of the crash . ”
Update 6 : The London Ambulance Service now says that it has plow 13 patient so far this good morning .
update …
This is some of the chaos cause on the street beneath the crash :
Here are some photos of the ravaging :
mental image by Leon Neal / AFP / Getty Images
Here ’s a very clear word-painting of the crane at#vauxhall , taken by a friend on facebook ( @steph_lee , was Lik there?)pic.twitter.com / YVfXyQlR
— Katy Moon ( @Oog)January 16 , 2013
Part of the crane on the priming by the crash site.pic.twitter.com/NvItP9z1
— Quin ( @QuinMurray)January 16 , 2013
Ok apparently a helicopter just crash landed in front of mepic.twitter.com/hD9gu9Jo
— Max James Tolhurst ( @mjtolhurst)January 16 , 2013
Top mage by@vctrjmnz
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