'Copter Crashes into Crane in London

[Timbuk2]

This morning in the freezing mists and low-lying cloud, a commercial helicopter flew straight into a construction crane and plummeted onto the rush-hour streets below, bursting into flames. 2 dead, 13 injured so far.

Oops.

Two people have been killed and nine injured when a helicopter crashed into a crane in central London in misty conditions.

Police said it appeared the helicopter had hit the crane on top of The Tower, One St George Wharf at about 08:00 GMT.

About 90 firefighters are at the scene near Wandsworth Road in South Lambeth. Doctors said one of the dead was the pilot and the other was on the ground.

A man was rescued from a burning car by firefighters.

Burning wreckage lay in the road but the fire was brought under control within 25 minutes, the fire brigade said.

Six people were taken to hospital, one with a broken leg and the others with minor injuries. Seven people were treated at the scene.

Part of the crane was left hanging from the side of the building.

Police said it was understood the helicopter was on a scheduled flight from Redhill in Surrey to Elstree in Hertfordshire.

A spokesman for London Heliport at Battersea said the pilot had requested to divert and land there due to bad weather.

The incident caused gridlock with all approaches to the Vauxhall Cross one way system closed at the height of the rush hour and Vauxhall Tube station and railway station closed, though the stations have since reopened.

London Fire Brigade said more than 50 other firefighters were at St George's Wharf to secure the damaged crane.

Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "We believe there are 11 casualties, two fatalities and nine less seriously injured but one is critically ill. People are presenting themselves to different places."

Met Commander Neil Basu told BBC News it was "miraculous" the crash was not much worse.

The BBC weather centre said weather observations at the time of the crash showed very low cloud but not thick fog. The nearest observation site was London City Airport which at 08:00 reported 700m visibility with broken cloud at a height of 100ft.

Fire brigade station manager Bruce Grain said crews arrived at the scene in four minutes.

He said the helicopter fell into Wandsworth Road hitting various vehicles and bursting into flames and there were also fires in nearby buildings.

NATS, which runs air traffic control across the UK, said the helicopter pilot had been receiving assistance earlier in the journey but not at the time of the crash.

[Timbuk2]

Seems the pilot, who was killed, was a James Bond stunt pilot. At one time was tipped to actually become James Bond too.

Speculation is that the lights on top of the crane, which warn aircraft, may not have been lit. Essential in low cloud & mist. Stories are confilicting this morning though.

[GGT]

Must be a conspiracy.

[Dreadnaught]

A man was rescued from a burning car by firefighters.

That is some response time. Were all the fatalities in the copter?

[Flixy]

"
About 90 firefighters are at the scene near Wandsworth Road in South Lambeth. Doctors said one of the dead was the pilot and the other was on the ground.
"