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| Bodies of US aircrew recovered from helicopter wreckage in Norfolk, UK | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The bodies of four American servicemen have been removed from the wreckage of their helicopter which crashed in a training exercise in north Norfolk, on England's east coast. | |
| The four US airmen, who were based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, were taken from the wreckage by a private ambulance on Thursday afternoon after what investigators described as a complex recovery operation. | The four US airmen, who were based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, were taken from the wreckage by a private ambulance on Thursday afternoon after what investigators described as a complex recovery operation. |
| The bodies of the servicemen – Captain Christopher Stover, Captain Sean Ruane, Technical Sergeant Dale Mathews and Staff Sergeant Afton Ponce – will be flown to the US air force's mortuary affairs centre in Dover, Delaware, once they have been released by the coroner in Norfolk. | |
| As investigations into the crash entered a third day, police and the US military said it was still too early to speculate as to why the routine training exercise went so badly wrong. | |
| The USAF Pave Hawk helicopter was carrying out low-level combat search-and-rescue manoeuvres when it ditched into salt marshes off the north Norfolk coast on Tuesday night. | The USAF Pave Hawk helicopter was carrying out low-level combat search-and-rescue manoeuvres when it ditched into salt marshes off the north Norfolk coast on Tuesday night. |
| Norfolk police handed the investigation over to the US air force on Thursday as it ruled out the crash being a criminal matter. Assistant Chief Constable Nick Dean, who has led the police response to the crash, said: "As has been the case throughout this investigation, our thoughts remain with the families and friends of the military personnel who lost their lives in this tragic incident. | Norfolk police handed the investigation over to the US air force on Thursday as it ruled out the crash being a criminal matter. Assistant Chief Constable Nick Dean, who has led the police response to the crash, said: "As has been the case throughout this investigation, our thoughts remain with the families and friends of the military personnel who lost their lives in this tragic incident. |
| "Even though our colleagues from the USAF, supported by the Ministry of Defence, will now lead the ongoing inquiries, we will continue to support their work, engaging with local communities and providing reassurance and assistance where required." | "Even though our colleagues from the USAF, supported by the Ministry of Defence, will now lead the ongoing inquiries, we will continue to support their work, engaging with local communities and providing reassurance and assistance where required." |
| Colonel Kyle Robinson, commander of the men's unit at RAF Lakenheath, said no mayday message or any other warning of problems was sent by the helicopter before the crash. | |
| "I am deeply saddened by the loss of these great airmen. They have made the ultimate sacrifice while training to save the lives of others," said Robinson, commander of the 48th Fighter Wing. | "I am deeply saddened by the loss of these great airmen. They have made the ultimate sacrifice while training to save the lives of others," said Robinson, commander of the 48th Fighter Wing. |
| The aircraft – usually used by special forces in rescue missions overseas – was carrying 500 rounds of standard .50 calibre bullets and a 9mm sidearm with 15 bullets as part of the low-flying training exercise over salt marshes near a popular nature reserve. | |
| The MoD said it had received five complaints since 2012 about noise from military aircraft training over the coastal village of Cley-next-the-Sea. Responding to concerns from residents about low-flying aircraft, the MoD said it understood that the manoeuvres could be unpopular but said they were an essential part of operational training. | |
| The accident was the first of two involving US military helicopters within 24 hours. On Wednesday, a navy helicopter carrying five crew members crashed off the coast of Virginia, in the US. Two people died in the crash, and a search was continuing on Thursday for a missing crew member. | The accident was the first of two involving US military helicopters within 24 hours. On Wednesday, a navy helicopter carrying five crew members crashed off the coast of Virginia, in the US. Two people died in the crash, and a search was continuing on Thursday for a missing crew member. |
| The helicopter involved in that incident was a MH-53E Sea Dragon assigned to helicopter mine countermeasures squadron 14, based at naval station Norfolk, Virginia. The two crashes have raised questions about safety in the US military's ageing helicopter fleet. | |
| Speaking at RAF Lakenheath, a large US air force base 50 miles from the crash site, Robinson described the four servicemen, who had been in the force between two and 17 years, as "highly qualified in what they did and capable". | Speaking at RAF Lakenheath, a large US air force base 50 miles from the crash site, Robinson described the four servicemen, who had been in the force between two and 17 years, as "highly qualified in what they did and capable". |
| The colonel said the other four Pave Hawk helicopters would not be flown from the base for the remainder of the week, out of respect for the families of the fallen men. | The colonel said the other four Pave Hawk helicopters would not be flown from the base for the remainder of the week, out of respect for the families of the fallen men. |
| "This has obviously been a very traumatic incident for an entire Liberty Wing family and, in particular, the 56th, and we want to maintain and make sure we are taking care of the families and that the air crew members are safe before they head back out." | "This has obviously been a very traumatic incident for an entire Liberty Wing family and, in particular, the 56th, and we want to maintain and make sure we are taking care of the families and that the air crew members are safe before they head back out." |
| In a message to the families of the servicemen, Robinson added: "As a husband and father myself, I cannot imagine how heartbroken you must feel, now missing a piece of your family. | In a message to the families of the servicemen, Robinson added: "As a husband and father myself, I cannot imagine how heartbroken you must feel, now missing a piece of your family. |
| "I speak for the entire wing when I say that we are thinking of you, we are praying for you and we are here for you." | "I speak for the entire wing when I say that we are thinking of you, we are praying for you and we are here for you." |
| Robinson said it was too early to speculate about what had caused the crash. Local politicians and residents said the crash highlighted longstanding concerns about low-flying military aircraft conducting risky training manoeuvres on the north Norfolk coast, which is a nature reserve known for breeding large seabirds. | Robinson said it was too early to speculate about what had caused the crash. Local politicians and residents said the crash highlighted longstanding concerns about low-flying military aircraft conducting risky training manoeuvres on the north Norfolk coast, which is a nature reserve known for breeding large seabirds. |
| Wendy Wyatt, a former councillor who lives near the crash site, said she had complained many 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 many 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 MoD 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 MoD and local MPs about low-flying training missions in the area a year ago. |
| "It has been quite upsetting for visitors and residents to be staring down the barrel of an Apache helicopter gun," he said. "Our thoughts are with the families of the bereaved airmen, so it doesn't seem to be the right time to be raising those concerns again." | "It has been quite upsetting for visitors and residents to be staring down the barrel of an Apache helicopter gun," he said. "Our thoughts are with the families of the bereaved airmen, so it doesn't seem to be the right time to be raising those concerns again." |
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