Two dead in helocopter crash

[Paracab]

Breaking news on Sky - Two dead in a military helicopter crash in the Londonderry area - no further at the mo, anyone know anything ?

[treadigraph]

A Gazelle.

From the BBC...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3341521.stm

[Spot 4]

Single engined hover over the city can be an unforgiving place to be, and this sad event strengthens the requirement for the likes of Twin Squirrel to complete their thankless task in.

It is likley that I have lost the object of much crewroom banter today and I would suggest we keep the pprune air accident investigation theories to a minimum, and thank your god that if people had to die, it wasnt us.

The names I guess will come when they are good and ready, but there are a lot of good guys and girls flying the floppy in NI.

Rest in Peace

[Bill O'Average]

Agreed spot 4, lets keep the 'theories' away.

Heart felt sympathies. Nowt else I can say.

[northernmonkey]

Gutted, utterly crap news, just in time for Christmas too

Families and friend sin my thought.

RIP guys

[Paddy Don't Surf]

Deepest, deepest sympathies to the families of those involved. Watched BBC NI news tonight (thanks to the marvels of digital TV) and it brought tears to my eyes.

Words can't express my sorrow, I don't even know the names but it's almost undoubtedly friends and/or colleagues ... my thoughts are with you.

:( :{

[claire mc cosker]

Firstly I would like to pass on my sympathies to those guys familes in the gazelle today

I happened to be flying in londonderry today just before it happened.

Air traffic called a company helicopter to tell them as no mayday was put out he said that he had seen them in a spiral dive towards the ground from about 700 feet

I drove past the scene a little later and saw all of the emergency services it really did bring a tear to my eye.
Just before christmas too.

R.I.P

[Governormalfunction]

RIP. There's nothing more to say.

[Bleeb-range]

My thoughts are with the families and friends of the crew especially at this time of the year. Only 4 days after attending the funeral of another aviator and friend.

RIP

[FJJP]

Deepest sympathies to the families. Ghastly event to happen just before Christmas, too. My thoughts to everybody, including their friends and colleagues....

[MOSTAFA]

Deepest sympathies to the famillies of those involved. RIP

[Brian Dixon]

Terrible, terrible news.

My deepest condolences to the families and friends of those lost.

RIP

[Jackonicko]

While it would obviously wrong to engage in pointless speculation, the observation that: "Single engined hover over the city can be an unforgiving place to be, and this sad event strengthens the requirement for the likes of Twin Squirrel to complete their thankless task" would seem to be entirely sensible and in no way objectionable. Who knows, perhaps even this crew would regard a call for improved equipment or procedures as being 'something good' to have come out of what was obviously a dreadful and tragic event.

I can only hope that my profession deal with this with a little more sense and sensitivity than we sometimes do.

Condolences to their friends and family.

[Shackman]

Words are never enough, but my sympathies to family, friends and colleagues of the crew.

[treadigraph]

Damn. The BBC report went from probable to definite. So infinitely sad...

Treadders

[NVG_CAT3_retd]

A sad day indeed. Thoughts go out to the families and friends of the crew.

[Bill O'Average]

And we had such a good record this year. I was hoping this would be one of the first with no fatalities.

Crap, just crap.

Again, deepest to all involved.

Out.

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Like everyone else, all I can do is offer my sympathy and condolences of the famillies and friends of those involved, and also their colleagues.

This sort of news is always upsetting to hear, but is particularly sad at this time of year.

[NURSE]

my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the 2 people killed.

[aytoo]

There is never a good time to read news like this, but how particularly poignant at this time of year.

I can only echo the sentiments above, and convey our sympathies to the families.

There but for the grace....

[Mike Bowl]

Nothing more I can add to the many condolances already posted.
To the families and friends my deepest sympathy.
As a Former 655 member i wish all of those in 665 the best and hope they can get through this difficult time.
More information from those in the know please as the national news seems to have forgotten this tragic event already.

RIP:(

[CAC Runaway]

RIP guys.
When/if the names are made public can someone post them on here as there are alot of people on here with mates over there.

[A/Tpr Cooper]

A sad day. Two more aviators "VMC on top".
The thoughts of the Cooper family are with those of the family and friends of two who were lost.
I trust that the Jock Nag will swing when the time is right, I'm sure that the whoever was involved would not want festivities to cease.

[Rats Naks]

My deepest sympathies to all those freinds and families invovled in this tragic event, our thoughts are with you.

RIP guys.

[HOG]

A very sad day indeed, my sincere thoughts go to the families involved. It is ironic that my brother in law was killed in a Lynx crash in Bosnia 5 years ago to the day !!!!

Sad times but at least they where doing something they loved.

Enuff Said

Hog

[Ron Fenest]

A good good friend is lost, I'm inconsolable..my thoughts are truly with his wife and children..christmas is cancelled for me. Also my heartfelt sympathies go out to the family of the young officer whose life has been cruely taken.

Sleep well mate

This really really sucks

[Authen]

:(
Very sad news indeed, my heart felt sympathy to friends and family at this sad time. RIP chaps.

[Top Bunk Tester]

Names now released on DefenseNet

RIP Guys

[Paddy Don't Surf]

The names have now been released at;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3342373.stm

The Ac Comd was Sergeant Simon Bennett, 35, a married father-of- three from Telford in Shropshire.

The pilot was Captain Andrew Nicoll, 27, who was single and from Grantham in Lincolnshire.

RIP

I have a photo of Si Bennett flying a Squirrel, msg or email if you want a copy. Can't figure out how to post it on this topic.

:{ :sad: :{

[NURSE]

http://www.utv.co.uk/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=40842

The names released today are

Capt Andrew Nicoll
SGT Simon Bennett

God Bless You and Your loved ones

May you rest in Peace

[X-QUORK]

Condolences to the family,friends and fellow squadron members of the crew - my thoughts are with you.

I must also add that the UTV report on the link posted by NURSE contains some extremely cheap and insensitive political soundbites from the local SDLP councillor....he should be bloody well ashamed of himself.:mad:

[Paddy Don't Surf]

X-QUORK
What do you expect? The SDLP/Sinn Fein can be relied upon to try to make political mileage from anything like this.

I await the findings of the investigation with trepidation. There but for the grace of [insert deity here] go I.

[edited because my hands are shaking too much to type properly]

[EmeraldToilet]

To echo so many others sentiments,

Rest Peacefully.

[ZH875]

Deepest Condolences to all affected families.


At the going down of the sun, and in the morning...


.....We Will Remember Them.

[exrotarybooty]

What a sad, sad end to the year, and I'm sure all former and serving Royal Marines pilots who were trained by the AAC at Middle Wallop, will join me in expressing sincere condolences to the families and friends in this awful loss to 665 Squadron. :(

I read that report posted by Nurse, and it beggars belief that anyone could make such comments at a time like this. There is one part they got wrong though:

``Village inhabitants throughout the area have been subject to an unexceptional high level of noise and exhaust pollution from helicopters over a long period of years.``

If it was 'unexceptional', what's the problem? :hmm:

RIP guys, stand easy, job done.

[NURSE]

I agree totally with you about the insensitivity of the comments and what is reported on the site is only some of the crap the SDLP and Sein Fein MLA's/Councillor's were comming of with.
Its stuff you wouldn't get to see/hear outside Northern Ireland and It really pissed me off. It just beggars belief that they are like that.

[mutleyfour]

Been away visiting the rellies...absolutely gutted and distraught at the news....



My condolences to all concerned.




PS whilst this probably isnt the time, it is worth mentioning/asking when the Floppy is going into retirement as most must have exceeded the designers flying hours by now???

[Buc Driver]

A terrible loss, deepest sympathy to both families and the squadron, from the Ulster Aviation Society at Langford Lodge.

[snafu]

Heartfelt sympathy to the families of both of the guys involved, both personal and their wider families within the Air Corps and Aldergrove. The sadness that an event like this triggers is made all the more intense by the time of year.

"The cockpit was my office. It was a place where I experienced many emotions and learned many lessons. It was a place of work, but also a keeper of dreams. It was a place of deadly serious encounters, yet there I discovered much about life. I learned about joy and sorrow, pride and humility, and fear, and overcoming fear. I saw much from that office that most people would never see. At times it terrified me, yet I could always feel at home there... Though it was a place where I could quickly die, the cockpit was a place where I truly lived."

Brian Shul, "Sled Driver"

RIP guys.

[unkind43]

Flight is freedom in it's purest form,
to dance with the clouds which follow a storm;
to roll and glide, to wheel and spin;
To feel the joy that swells within;
To leave the earth with its troubles and fly,
And know the warmth of a clear spring sky;
Then back to earth at the end of the day,
released from the tensions which melted away.
Should my end come while I am in flight,
Whether brightest day or darkest night;
Spare me your pity and shrug off the pain,
Secure in the knowledge that I'd do it again;
For each of us is created to die,
And within me I know,
I was born to fly.

(unkown)

Our thoughts are with you and your families.

[Chicken Leg]

Andy.

I only knew you for a short time, but you were a true friend. You took me on my first surfing trip on a wet and windy day on the north coast. What a mad day!

Si,

Many a good night propped up against the bar singing Frank Sinatra songs! What was amazing was that you were actually very good at it!

Rest in peace friends. I'll miss you both.

[Winerack]

Bless them both.

My thoughts are with their families.

I will never forget them.

[aytoo]

Thought the posting of a poem above was entirely appropriate. Pilots - indeed all military men and women, I suspect, have the soul of a poet within them somewhere. The one below has always been a favourite of mine. When the cab's are u/s - again. Or the FRBs are not co-operating (surely not!). Or there is just one more duty to complete. Or a million and one other pieces of tedium with which to deal, WE know that we have only to get airborne to feel the unconfined joy that is so eloquently written here. The sentiments are undimmed with the passage of time or the march of technology. They are as poignant today as they were when they were penned in WWII - and penned by another lad you did not, eventually, come home...

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high unsurpassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee

[Autorot8]

RIP Si, you were a good friend.

[Voodoo 3]

I had the very great pleasure of knowing Andy since the age of 9 when we went to the same school down in Northampton. We went to different schools from 13 but kept in regular contact and met up for reunions every six months or so.

As has been mentioned in many previous threads this accident was an absolute tragedy. Andy was a person you were proud to call your friend. Considerate, good fun and most of all a pleasure to be around. To have know someone for most of your life and then have them so cruelly taken away is so unbeliveably sad. My thoughts and condolences are with Andy's parents and brother, Matthew.