TWO men have died after a private helicopter which set off from Scotland crashed into the sea near a golf course
TWO men have died after a private helicopter which set off from Scotland crashed into the sea near a golf course.
Witnesses described hearing a "loud crack" before the aircraft plummetted around 200ft into the North Sea at Selwick Bay in Flamborough, East Yorkshire, around 1.40pm yesterday.
The helicopter, a white Jetranger model, had taken off from Dechmont near Uphall, West Lothian earlier in the day. It was en route to Humberside airport when the crash happened.
A spokesman for Edinburgh airport confirmed that the chopper had passed through the capital's air space but there was "nothing to suggest anything was wrong".
A major rescue operation was launched but police later confirmed that both men on board had been killed.
Eyewitness Chris Palmer, who was on the clifftop at the time, said: "We heard the helicopter. It was like a white, private helicopter going along the coast.
"We all heard this really loud crack and looked up again.
"The helicopter started to descend, almost like a plane when it lands.
"It then went behind the cliff and that's when I called the emergency services. I never actually heard it hit the sea."
Members of Flamborough Golf Course also witnessed the incident and said at first they believed the pilot was attempting to land on the club's 17th green.
Rod Marwood, the course chairman, said: "I had not taken much notice, but then the engine noise changed. I was a fair way away but could see it going down and trying to get to land.
"Then it just disappeared down the side of the cliffs and never reappeared.
"Some guys heard a bump or smack and there was smell of aviation fuel. It was over in four or five seconds."
Paul Litten, commercial director at Humberside Airport, confirmed the aircraft was flying "inbound" to the airport but had "not handed over to their air traffic control".
He said the medium-sized private helicopter was due to head to another destination in the UK after leaving the airport.
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