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Norfolk helicopter crash: four people killed Helicopter crash in thick fog kills four in Norfolk
(35 minutes later)
Four people have been killed in a helicopter crash in Norfolk, emergency services have said. Four people have been killed after a helicopter crashed in thick fog at a small village on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.
Police were first called to the incident at the village of Gillingham, near Beccles, at about 7.30pm on Thursday night. A few hours later, the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) said it believed that all the occupants had died. Police were called to the incident at the village of Gillingham, near Beccles, at about 7.30pm on Thursday night. The aircraft was reportedly travelling to Northern Ireland, and it crashed near a stately home owned by Northern Ireland's richest person Lord Ballyedmond.
Police confirmed that the aircraft was civilian rather than military, and that the area of the crash site has been cordoned off. Ballyedmond, better known as business man Edward Haughey, is head of the leading veterinary pharmaceuticals company Norbrook Laboratories and Haughey Air, a helicopter charter firm.
A police spokesman confirmed that all four occupants of the aircraft were killed. And an EEAST spokesman said: "Ambulance resources have now been stood down from the scene. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives tonight. Police confirmed that the aircraft was civilian rather than military, and that the area of the crash site has been cordoned off. A spokesman confirmed that all four occupants of the aircraft were killed.
An East of England Ambulance Service spokesman said: "Ambulance resources have now been stood down from the scene. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives tonight.
"EEAST sent a number of resources to the incident including two ambulance officers, three ambulances, two doctors and one rapid response car.""EEAST sent a number of resources to the incident including two ambulance officers, three ambulances, two doctors and one rapid response car."
A spokesman for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said it will be sending a team to investigate.
One Twitter user said that the helicopter came down near his house, which he wrote was near the woodland leading to the small village of Gillingham.One Twitter user said that the helicopter came down near his house, which he wrote was near the woodland leading to the small village of Gillingham.
Roland Bronk, owner of The Swan House inn and restaurant in Beccles, said it was "very foggy" in the area. Bronk said he also heard customers talk about "a lot of police activity and ambulances".Roland Bronk, owner of The Swan House inn and restaurant in Beccles, said it was "very foggy" in the area. Bronk said he also heard customers talk about "a lot of police activity and ambulances".
It is not yet known whether fog, which beset much of England earlier in the day, played a factor in the crash, although the visibility was reported to be poor in the area on Thursday night.It is not yet known whether fog, which beset much of England earlier in the day, played a factor in the crash, although the visibility was reported to be poor in the area on Thursday night.
The site is 45 miles from the spot where four crew members died when a US military helicopter crashed in January on a training mission in a nature reserve in Cley-next-the-Sea. There have been a series of disasters involving helicopters in recent months. The site is 45 miles from the spot where four crew members died when a US military helicopter crashed in January on a training mission in a nature reserve in Cley-next-the-Sea.
There has been a series of disasters involving helicopters recently. In January this year, a Pave Hawk from RAF Lakenheath was taking part in a low-flying training exercise when it came down in a nature reserve in Cley-next-the-Sea in Norfolk. There have been a series of disasters involving helicopters in recent months. In January this year, a Pave Hawk from RAF Lakenheath was taking part in a low-flying training exercise when it came down in a nature reserve in Cley-next-the-Sea in Norfolk.
In November 2013, 10 people were killed when a helicopter crashed into a pub in Glasgow. All three members of crew died and a further seven people who were in the pub at the time of the incident were also killed. In November last year, 10 people were killed when a helicopter crashed into a pub in Glasgow. All three members of crew died and a further seven people who were in the pub at the time of the incident were also killed.
In August the same year, four people died after a SuperPuma helicopter ditched in the sea off Shetland. It was later revealed that three of them - Sarah Darnley, Duncan Munro, and George Allison - died from drowning after the "survivable" crash. Gary McCrossan, 59, from Inverness, suffered heart failure. In August, four people died after a SuperPuma helicopter ditched in the sea off Shetland.