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 Jetranger fell 200ft into the North Sea at Selwick Bay in Flamborough, East Yorkshire, at around 1.40pm yesterday.
The white helicopter had taken off from Dechmont near Uphall, West Lothian, earlier in the day. It was en route to Humberside airport and due to travel on to Retford, Nottinghamshire, when the crash happened.
Next of kin were last night being contacted by police before their names could be released.
A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport confirmed the helicopter had passed through the capital's air space but there was "nothing to suggest anything was wrong".
A major rescue operation involving the police, ambulance and coastguard was launched, with RNLI dispatched from Bridlington and Flamborough. However, police later confirmed that both men on board had been killed.
Their bodies were recovered from the wreckage shortly before 5pm.
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.
Club chairman Rod Marwood 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 land at the airport between 1.30pm and 2pm before heading on to Retford.
Durham Tees Valley Airport said the helicopter had also flown through its air space.
In a statement, the airport said: "Air traffic control at Durham Tees Valley did handle the flight whilst in local airspace.
"Subsequently the pilot of the aircraft contacted air traffic control to state that he had landed at a private site and was then proceeding to Humberside Airport."
The cause of the crash is unknown, although some locals said mist could have affected visibility.
A spokesman for Humberside Police, said: "Emergency services including the air ambulance, the coast guard and air sea rescue attended the area right away and a search was carried out which resulted in the helicopter being located in the sea off the coast of Flamborough near the light house. Two men were recovered from the aircraft shortly before 5pm. Both sadly deceased."
Police said the crash site was potentially unsafe due to dangerous cliff edges and aviation fuel in the water and asked members of the public to avoid the area.
The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been informed and will lead an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
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