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Rescue teams search Snowdonia for missing helicopter Five bodies found with helicopter wreckage in Snowdonia
(about 1 hour later)
Rescuers are searching Snowdonia national park in north Wales for a helicopter that disappeared en route from the UK to Ireland with five people on board. The bodies of five people have been found in Snowdonia along with the wreckage of a helicopter that disappeared en route from the UK to Ireland, police have said.
Seven mountain rescue teams, police officers and search dogs are looking for the missing aircraft but are being hampered by extremely poor weather conditions with visibility down to a few metres in places. Seven mountain rescue teams, police officers and search dogs were deployed to look for the missing aircraft in north Wales after it went missing on Wednesday. The flight was known to have five people on board.
The privately owned helicopter vanished from radar screens during a flight from Bedfordshire to Dublin via Caernarfon in north Wales. It is thought it was descending to try to get under low cloud as conditions worsened on Wednesday afternoon.The privately owned helicopter vanished from radar screens during a flight from Bedfordshire to Dublin via Caernarfon in north Wales. It is thought it was descending to try to get under low cloud as conditions worsened on Wednesday afternoon.
Initially the rescue operation was focused on Caernarfon Bay, local airfields and the surrounding countryside. But after analysing flight data and mobile phone signals, the search area has been concentrated further inland. North Wales police said on Twitter: “Sadly we can confirm that the wreckage of the helicopter that went missing yesterday has been located along with the bodies of 5 people.”
Initially the rescue operation was focused on Caernarfon Bay, local airfields and the surrounding countryside. But after analysing flight data and mobile phone signals, the search area moved further inland to include Snowdonia national park.
No information about who was on board has been issued. Officials have refused to comment on reports that the helicopter was routinely rented out to film crews.No information about who was on board has been issued. Officials have refused to comment on reports that the helicopter was routinely rented out to film crews.
Supt Gareth Evans of North Wales police said: “All available police, mountain rescue and other civilian resources are currently being utilised and we are grateful for the assistance and cooperation of the public as well as our MRT [mountain rescue team] volunteers who are searching very difficult and challenging terrain.
“Five people are believed to be on board this private flight and specialist police family liaison officers are in contact with family members. At this stage we are not revealing their names and our thoughts are very much with their families at this difficult time.
“We are also appealing for help from the public and local communities and so I’d ask if anyone who has sighted the aircraft flying over Snowdonia yesterday and thinks they may know of its whereabouts to contact North Wales police via the live web chat or by phoning 101.”
The coastguard said the red Twin Squirrel helicopter was believed to have left Luton on Wednesday. Air traffic controllers lost radar contact with the helicopter and notified HM Coastguard at 4.15pm.The coastguard said the red Twin Squirrel helicopter was believed to have left Luton on Wednesday. Air traffic controllers lost radar contact with the helicopter and notified HM Coastguard at 4.15pm.
Coastguard search and rescue helicopters based at Caernarfon and St Athan carried out a search of fields and airfields in north Wales and the route across the Irish Sea the helicopter was most likely to have taken.Coastguard search and rescue helicopters based at Caernarfon and St Athan carried out a search of fields and airfields in north Wales and the route across the Irish Sea the helicopter was most likely to have taken.
All vessels passing through the Irish Sea were told to look out for the missing aircraft. On Thursday morning, the Coastguard commander Mark Rodaway said the search had moved inland. All vessels passing through the Irish Sea were told to look out for the missing aircraft. On Thursday morning, the coastguard commander Mark Rodaway said the search had moved inland.
He said: “The shift of focus inland is intelligence-led. We have been reviewing air traffic control radar tracks, which suggest the aircraft was descending to try to get under cloud. We have now been able to obtain some mobile phone data, which gives us a reasonable area to commit boots on the ground to conduct a search. That live operation will be continuing. The Eurocopter AS55 Ecureuil 2, now made by Airbus, is a widely used twin-engine light utility helicopter, which has a reputation for durability and requiring low maintenance.
“The teams are operating in very challenging conditions. That’s preventing the Coastguard committing more search and rescue helicopters into the mountains at the moment. The Met Office tell us conditions will improve and as soon as we are able to put helicopters in we will do so. Introduced in the mid-1970s, the all-weather aircraft evolved through several variations and has both civil and military applications.
The Eurocopter AS55 Ecureuil 2 Twin Squirrel, now made by Airbus, is a widely used twin-engine light utility helicopter, which has a reputation for durability and requiring low maintenance.
Introduced in the mid-1970s, the all-weather aircraft evolved through several variants and has both civil and military applications.
With a cruising speed of 140mph and a range of nearly 440 miles (700km), the model is used for extended low-level flights, such as when filming and surveying.With a cruising speed of 140mph and a range of nearly 440 miles (700km), the model is used for extended low-level flights, such as when filming and surveying.
The champion rally driver Colin McRae was at the controls of a Twin Squirrel with five-year-old son Johnny and his friend Ben Porcelli, six, on board in 2007 when it crashed in the grounds of his Lanarkshire home, killing all three. The champion rally driver Colin McRae was at the controls of a Twin Squirrel with five-year-old son, Johnny, and his son’s friend Ben Porcelli, six, on board in 2007 when it crashed in the grounds of his Lanarkshire home, killing all three.