Latest: Four dead after plane collides with helicopter in mid-air

Latest: Four people have died following a mid-air collision between a helicopter and a two-seater plane in Buckinghamshire, Thames Valley Police Superintendent Rebecca Mears has said.

Latest: Four dead after plane collides with helicopter in mid-air

Update 7.41pm: Four people have died following a mid-air collision between a helicopter and a two-seater plane in Buckinghamshire, Thames Valley Police Superintendent Rebecca Mears has said.

Superintendent Mears said the aircraft were carrying two people each.

She said she could not give any details of the identity or the genders of the victims at this stage and her "first priority" at this stage was the next of kin.

Update 6.33pm: The plane involved is a Cessna 152 with a capacity for one pilot and one passenger.

Built in 1982, it is owned by Airways Aero Associations, which is based at the air field, and had been flown for almost 14,000 hours as of May.

The aircraft suffered substantial damage to its landing gear, propeller and engine covering during a previous crash as it was taking off at Bodmin airfield in Cornwall in July 1993.

An archived report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch shows the pilot admitted the accident was caused by his "misjudgement and lack of experience".

A woman who lives nearby said she was out walking her dogs at the time of the collision.

"We heard a helicopter circling over head and then heard sirens," she said.

She said she then smelled smoke, which she believes was related to the crash.

A police cordon remained in place outside the entrance to the Waddesdon estate on Friday night.

Officers were joined by members of staff from the estate.

A white tent erected inside the ground was partially visible through a high hedge from the main road, which has been reopened.

Update 4.14pm: The plane that crashed is believed to be a Cessna 152, which has capacity for one pilot and one passenger.

Thames Valley Police said on Twitter: "We're aware of a number of casualties following an incident this afternoon in Waddesdon, Aylesbury.

"There were a number of road closures following the incident, which have now been lifted.

"We will provide further updates when available."

Update 3.32pm: South Central Ambulance Service said the incident had caused "a number of casualties".

A spokeswoman said: "We received the call at 12.09pm, for a mid-air collision involving a helicopter and an aircraft in Upper Winchendon, near Aylesbury.

"We sent a number of resources to the scene, including a Thames Valley air ambulance, two ambulance crews, two ambulance officers and a rapid response vehicle.

"There have been a number of casualties at the scene, but at this stage this is all we are able to confirm."

Video grab taken from the BBC of the scene of the crash.
Video grab taken from the BBC of the scene of the crash.

Earlier: A helicopter and an aircraft have been involved in a mid-air collision over Buckinghamshire in the UK.

Emergency services rushed to the scene close to the village of Waddesdon following reports of an incident at 12.06pm, Thames Valley Police said.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said the collision had involved a helicopter and aircraft.

Air crash investigators are being sent to the scene, but the priority is being placed on saving lives, police said.

Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said they currently have seven vehicles responding to the incident, including fire engines as well as urban search and rescue vehicles.

Thames Valley Police are co-ordinating the response to the crash and warned there will be disruption to surrounding roads for the rest of the day.

Air crash investigators are being sent to the scene, but the priority is saving lives, police said.

Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said they currently have seven vehicles responding to the incident, including fire engines as well as urban search and rescue vehicles.

Thames Valley Police are co-ordinating the response to the crash and warned there will be disruption to surrounding roads for the rest of the day.

A spokeswoman for Waddesdon Manor, a large estate near Aylesbury, said the crash had not happened on its grounds.

File photo of Waddesdon Manor.
File photo of Waddesdon Manor.

Waddesdon Manor is managed by the Rothschild Foundation, a family charitable trust, on behalf of the National Trust, who took over ownership in 1957.

RAF Halton, which is around 10 miles away, said no military aircraft had been involved.

A spokesman said: "We can confirm that neither of the aircraft concerned has a connection with either our air force nor the military, and this is as much as we know at this time."

Wycombe Air Park is also known as Booker Airfield and sits around 20 miles away from the site of the crash.

It offers flight training for rookie pilots.

In May, a man was left fighting for his life after the helicopter he was travelling in with two other men crashed at the site.

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