Three people have been killed after a helicopter taking part in a flying lesson crashed on the Isle of Wight.
Four people including a pilot were on board the downed chopper which took off from Sandown Airport at 9.30am on Monday.
One survivor was airlifted to hospital and remains in a serious condition.
Hampshire Police said in a statement: ‘We can confirm that three people have died following a helicopter crash on the Isle of Wight this morning.
‘Four people in total were on board.
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‘At this time we are unable to provide further information about the people involved, as efforts continue to contact and support their families.
‘We will not be commenting on the circumstances of the incident but continue to work alongside the Air Accident Investigation Branch.’
(Picture: Isle of Wight County Press/Solent News)
Northumbria Helicopters, which offers tours and experiences, has confirmed its G-OCLV aircraft was on a flying lesson when it crashed.
‘Northumbria Helicopters is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident,’ it added.
‘Northumbria Helicopters will release further information in due course.’
Witness Leigh Goldsmith told the Isle of Wight County Press she was driving towards Shanklin when she saw the helicopter ‘spiralling’ before it went out of sight and came down in a hedge.
She said she was the first on the scene and saw there were four people on board, and she believed the airbags had been activated.
Conservative MP Joe Robertson spoke on the ‘tragedy’ and said the community was in shock and ready to rally around the families of the victims.
Shanklin Town Council said it was ‘shocked to hear about the incident involving a pleasure flight helicopter crash landing on the outskirts of the town’.
It praised the pilot for ‘bringing the helicopter down’ away from built up areas on a busy Bank Holiday morning.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has deployed a team to the Isle of Wight.
‘A team of inspectors has been sent to the accident site to gather evidence and make enquiries,’ they said.
Meanwhile, a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance spokesperson confirmed that an air ambulance has also been dispatched.
They added: ‘The critical care team consisting of a doctor and a specialist paramedic are on scene working alongside our emergency service colleagues.’
Both the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance and the Coastguard Rescue 175 from Lee-on-Solent are on the scene.
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