US Pave Hawk down

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

This is my final speculative contribution which I have corrected and updated since posting.

A) Witnesses living in Cley and Salthouse heard and saw two low-flying helicopters on the night in question.


B) Several sightings were of a single helicopter. This helicopter was either the subject helicopter or possibly the second helicopter searching for the downed helicopter. In one interview Bernard Bishop remarked that he saw the lights of a helicopter which at one stage hovered leaving me to think that this was the search aircraft.

C)No witnesses apart from one (So far I know) stated that they saw the helicopter crash and again (as far as I know) nobody apart from one person has stated that they heard any sounds of impact.

D) The helicopter or helicopters had probably at some stage been flying over the sea because initially three life-boats were called out. I believe they were stood down when the wreckage was located.

E) The Police Superintendent when briefing the press stated that there were two helicopters in the area at the time of the crash.

I've read in The Daily Telegraph that a witness in Cley saw two helicopters carrying out low level manoeuvres.

To quote him: "They were flying extremely low considering it was night. They do exercises around here. Later I heard there had been an accident".

Also in the Daily Telegraph that a witness in Cley claimed that he saw the helicopter come down inasmuch that he witnessed a helicopter which he thought had landed on the beach "ditching" in the marsh. To quote:

"I saw it go down. At first I thought it had landed on the beach but then realised it had ditched in the marsh. I actually saw it go down but I did not see it ditch. It went down in the nature reserve." This witness also stated elsewhere that he heard the impact.

I'm signing off now and believe me I appreciate these crews who operate often dangerous missions in their bid to save lives.