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US air force helicopter crashes in Norfolk, killing at least four people US air force helicopter crashes in Norfolk, killing at least four people
(35 minutes later)
At least four people have been killed after a US military helicopter crashed during a training exercise near a Royal Air Force base close to the north Norfolk coast. At least four people have been killed after a US military helicopter crashed during a training exercise near a Royal Air Force base close to the Norfolk coast.
A 400m area was cordoned off by Norfolk police following the incident in Cley-next-the-Sea, in the north of the county, at around 6pm and local residents were told to stay clear. A 400m area was cordoned off by police following the incident near the village of Cley-next-the-Sea, at around 6pm and local people were told to stay clear.
The crash involved a HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter, a derivative of the better-known Black Hawk helicopter, whose primary role is to transport special forces and for combat search and rescue. The incident involved a HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter, a derivative of the better-known Black Hawk helicopter, whose primary role is to transport special forces and for combat search and rescue.
The crash site is not far from RAF Lakenheath, the location of a US air force base involved in international operations. The base is home to the USAF's 48th Fighter Wing, also known as the Liberty Wing, which is integral to US air strength in Europe, and is also believed to be involved in anti-terrorism operations. The US Air Force (USAF) said that the aircraft was flying from the nearby US air base at RAF Lakenheath and had been taking part in a low-level flying exercise.
The 48th Fighter Wing tweeted: "We can confirm that one of our HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters was involved in an incident during a training mission outside Cley-next-the-Sea." The base is home to the USAF's 48th Fighter Wing, also known as the Liberty Wing, which is integral to US air strength in Europe, and is also believed to be involved in anti-terrorism operations.
In addition to HH-60G Pave Hawks, it is home to squadrons of F-15 Eagle tactical fighter planes and F-15E Strike Eagle dual-role fighters. Local reports said that residents had heard F-15 planes flying over the scene of the crash. Local reports said that residents had heard F-15 planes flying over the scene of the crash, in the vicinity of a nature reserve run by Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
The cause of the crash was initially unclear although Richard Kelham, chairman of Cley parish council, said it looked as though the helicopter had come down in the middle of a bird reserve. Norfolk Police said that they were assessing what munitions were on board and that the quarter mile cordon would remain in place for at least 24 hours. The force said that the helicopter had come down in a marsh and that the crew of four who were on board had all died. It added that family members will be notified before details on the victims can be released and that the USAF would be involved in an investigation.
Norfolk police said: "Police are currently dealing with a single helicopter crash in the Cley area, on the north Norfolk coast. There are believed to be four fatalities. Officers are on the scene, with a 400-metre area cordoned off." Dozens of emergency vehicles from the fire brigade, coastguard and police were involved in an operation at the scene last night while the Royal National Lifeboat Institution sent out three lifeboats earlier in response to initial reports of a crash in the area.
A spokesman for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution said: "We were asked for three lifeboats to respond to reports that an aircraft had possibly ditched in the sea. Peter and Sue McKnestiey, who run Cookies crab shop in the nearby village of Salthouse, said: "We heard the helicopter come over very fast and very low.
"Lifeboats Wells, Sheringham and Cromer were launched at the request of the coastguard but were stood down when it was confirmed that the aircraft had come down over land." "I don't know about engines but I am used to the sound of helicopters and this sounded very heavy and very unusual.
A spokesman for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution said: "We were asked for three lifeboats to respond to reports that an aircraft had possibly ditched in the sea. Lifeboats Wells, Sheringham and Cromer were launched at the request of the coastguard but were stood down when it was confirmed that the aircraft had come down over land." "My gut instinct was there was something wrong. We've now heard four people have died and it's just awful. I keep hoping the helicopter I heard isn't the one that crashed. I think the whole village will be devastated when it realises what's happened.
Around a dozen emergency vehicles from the fire brigade, coastguard and police are at the scene. Helen Terry, 43, another Salthouse resident who said that they had heard the helicopter flying over, told the Press Association: "We assumed it was just heading out to sea for training exercises. It's a daily occurrence and we're quite used to it.
Cley artist Rachel Lockwood, from the village's Pinkfoot Gallery, said: "We had never seen so many police cars and fire engines, so went to have a look. "We live less than half a mile from where it's happened and we didn't hear any bang. The first we heard was when we saw emergency crews rushing to the area."
"The beach road to Cley is sealed off. There are lots of fire engines near the Dun Cow pub at Salthouse. A helicopter is hovering over the marsh with a light beaming down." The US military uses Pave Hawks for combat search and rescue missions during day and night, mainly to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel such as special forces troopers operating in conflict zones.
Cley is a picturesque village, one mile east of Blakeney and four miles north of Holt, on the main coast road between Wells and Sheringham. The aircraft, which is manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft, have seen action in every major conflict involving the US since the 1989 invasion of Panama although concerns have been expressed in recent years that their frequent use has been taking a toll.
Most of the 99 helicopters in the personnel-recovery fleet have developed structural cracks due to overuse but US military budget constraints have disrupted attempts to carry out upgrades, according to a report last month in Forbes.
The 64 foot long Pave Hawk can travel at speeds of up to 184 m.p.h (159 knots) and usually carry a crew of two pilots, one flight engineer and a gunner.
All have an automatic flight control system, night vision goggles and an infrared system that enhances night low-level operations. They also have color weather radar and an engine/rotor blade anti-ice system to help cope with adverse weather conditions. In rent years, the helicopters have been deployed in Iraq, Afghanisation and Libya and during operations to provide assistance in response to disasters including Japan's 2011 tsunami.
ENDS
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