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| Norfolk US helicopter crash dead to be removed | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Authorities are on Thursday expected to remove the bodies of four American servicemen killed in a helicopter crash during a training exercise in Norfolk as it emerged that residents had complained for years about low-flying aircraft in the area. | |
| The helicopter was on a routine training exercise when it ditched into saltmarshes near the village of Cley-next-the-Sea on Tuesday night, throwing live ammunition across the popular beauty spot. | The helicopter was on a routine training exercise when it ditched into saltmarshes near the village of Cley-next-the-Sea on Tuesday night, throwing live ammunition across the popular beauty spot. |
| As two investigations into the fatal accident began, tributes were paid to the four airmen, who were named on Wednesday as Captain Christopher Stover, Captain Sean Ruane, Technical Sgt Dale Mathews and Staff Sgt Afton Ponce. | |
| Colonel Kyle Robinson, commander of the men's unit at RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk, said: "The loss of our Liberty Wing brethren is felt deeply across RAF Lakenheath. I can only imagine the hurt and sorrow felt by the family and friends of these airmen. You are in our hearts and minds." | Colonel Kyle Robinson, commander of the men's unit at RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk, said: "The loss of our Liberty Wing brethren is felt deeply across RAF Lakenheath. I can only imagine the hurt and sorrow felt by the family and friends of these airmen. You are in our hearts and minds." |
| The aircraft, an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter used by US Special Forces in rescue missions, had flown from Lakenheath for training manoeuvres near a nature reserve on the Norfolk coast. The area, popular with birdwatchers, is used often by low-flying military aircraft, with residents describing how they had seen helicopters and planes fly feet from the ground in training manoeuvres, sometimes at night. | The aircraft, an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter used by US Special Forces in rescue missions, had flown from Lakenheath for training manoeuvres near a nature reserve on the Norfolk coast. The area, popular with birdwatchers, is used often by low-flying military aircraft, with residents describing how they had seen helicopters and planes fly feet from the ground in training manoeuvres, sometimes at night. |
| The MP for North Norfolk, Norman Lamb, said he was concerned about the training exercises but expressed sympathy for the families of the servicemen. "This will be a trauma for everybody in that local community," he told Sky News. | The MP for North Norfolk, Norman Lamb, said he was concerned about the training exercises but expressed sympathy for the families of the servicemen. "This will be a trauma for everybody in that local community," he told Sky News. |
| "Obviously my initial instinct is one of sorrow and sympathy for the families of [those] who have lost their lives. This is obviously a personal tragedy for those families. Beyond that we have to look at what lessons need to be learned." | "Obviously my initial instinct is one of sorrow and sympathy for the families of [those] who have lost their lives. This is obviously a personal tragedy for those families. Beyond that we have to look at what lessons need to be learned." |
| Wendy Wyatt, a former councillor who lives near the crash site, said she had complained several times about low-flying aircraft that once came so close to her cottage she exchanged waves with a pilot. | Wendy Wyatt, a former councillor who lives near the crash site, said she had complained several times about low-flying aircraft that once came so close to her cottage she exchanged waves with a pilot. |
| "They are going too low. I don't know whether they are allowed to but something needs to be done," she said. "It's quite frightening thinking they are carrying guns and bullets. You can only complain so many times." | "They are going too low. I don't know whether they are allowed to but something needs to be done," she said. "It's quite frightening thinking they are carrying guns and bullets. You can only complain so many times." |
| Richard Kelham, chair of Cley parish council, said flying so close to a breeding ground for birds was an "accident waiting to happen" and had prompted complaints to nearby RAF bases. Another councillor, Jennifer Murray, said regulations had been introduced 15 years ago to order the aircraft to fly higher when using the area. | Richard Kelham, chair of Cley parish council, said flying so close to a breeding ground for birds was an "accident waiting to happen" and had prompted complaints to nearby RAF bases. Another councillor, Jennifer Murray, said regulations had been introduced 15 years ago to order the aircraft to fly higher when using the area. |
| Brendan Joyce, chief executive of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust which runs the Cley Marshes nature reserve, said the trust had lobbied the Ministry of Defence and local MPs about low flying training missions in the area a year ago. | Brendan Joyce, chief executive of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust which runs the Cley Marshes nature reserve, said the trust had lobbied the Ministry of Defence and local MPs about low flying training missions in the area a year ago. |
| "It has been quite upsetting for visitors for visitors and residents to be staring down the barrel of an Apache helicopter gun," he said. "Our thoughts are the with families of the bereaved airman, so it doesn't seem to be the right time to be raising those concerns again." | "It has been quite upsetting for visitors for visitors and residents to be staring down the barrel of an Apache helicopter gun," he said. "Our thoughts are the with families of the bereaved airman, so it doesn't seem to be the right time to be raising those concerns again." |
| But the Labour MEP Richard Howitt, whose constituency includes the crash zone, warned against rushing to "knee-jerk reactions" or ending military training exercises in the area. "We are talking about one of the most tranquil places in Britain but it is punctured with the occasional noise of these training exercises. It's accepted because it is tradition and people understand that they are done in defence of us all," he said. | But the Labour MEP Richard Howitt, whose constituency includes the crash zone, warned against rushing to "knee-jerk reactions" or ending military training exercises in the area. "We are talking about one of the most tranquil places in Britain but it is punctured with the occasional noise of these training exercises. It's accepted because it is tradition and people understand that they are done in defence of us all," he said. |
| "I think we should be careful about kneejerk reactions because the pilots are involved in extreme work in disasters and need to be able to undertake what look to us to be daring and risky manoeuvres as part of their training." | "I think we should be careful about kneejerk reactions because the pilots are involved in extreme work in disasters and need to be able to undertake what look to us to be daring and risky manoeuvres as part of their training." |
| The helicopter in the crash is the kind used by US special forces. The helicopter crews practise extensively, flying as low as possible at night using night-vision goggles. Flying low provides an element of surprise as well as helping to avoid radar detection. | The helicopter in the crash is the kind used by US special forces. The helicopter crews practise extensively, flying as low as possible at night using night-vision goggles. Flying low provides an element of surprise as well as helping to avoid radar detection. |
| Debris was spread over an area the size of a football pitch yesterday morning, suggesting a crash at high speed rather than the helicopter hovering and plummeting to the ground. Causes of similar crashes have ranged from hitting birds to a sudden bright light interfering with night goggles. | Debris was spread over an area the size of a football pitch yesterday morning, suggesting a crash at high speed rather than the helicopter hovering and plummeting to the ground. Causes of similar crashes have ranged from hitting birds to a sudden bright light interfering with night goggles. |
| A no-fly zone remained in place over the site on Wednesday night, while police collected evidence necessary for an inquest. Such a hearing is not likely to be held until much later this year. | A no-fly zone remained in place over the site on Wednesday night, while police collected evidence necessary for an inquest. Such a hearing is not likely to be held until much later this year. |
| Chief superintendent Bob Scully of Norfolk police said the investigation ''hinges on our ability to establish what happened and the removal of the casualties'', which had to be done ''methodically step by step''. | |
| A separate investigation will be carried out by a US military team, which on Wednesday asked for help from UK military personnel. The US-led team is required to report its initial findings in about 30 days to the US command and the families of the victims. | A separate investigation will be carried out by a US military team, which on Wednesday asked for help from UK military personnel. The US-led team is required to report its initial findings in about 30 days to the US command and the families of the victims. |
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