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TWO ESCAPE HELICOPTER CRASH DRAMA

By Gavin Foster and Ross Findon

TWO men had a dramatic escape when their helicopter crashed into The Solent near Cowes on Friday afternoon.

Safety boats from the Cowes Powerboat Festival dashed to the aid of the crew after they ditched into the sea near the Prince Consort buoy, although the aircraft was not involved in the event.

Matt Chettell, coxswain of the Cowes Inshore Lifeboat, brought the two men ashore and said they were cold and wet but otherwise unhurt.

He said: "I understand they got into trouble and ditched right near the start line of the racing. Luckily for them, there were safety boats everywhere and they were out of the water very quickly. They could not have picked a better place to ditch.

"They were cold and shaken but appeared OK. I think the adrenalin was pumping."

The two men, one in his 30s and the other in his 40s, were picked up by a RIB and transferred to Cowes Inshore Lifeboat.

An ambulance crew checked them over on shore but they declined to go to hospital.

One of the men told lifeboat crew: "We are fine, just cold and wet and we want to go home as soon as possible."

They are believed to have flown out of Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, and were taken to Lee on Solent by lifeboat.

Safety boat radio operator Gary Mills, who called in the emergency, said: "It just fell out of the sky and flipped over. They were very lucky to get out before it sunk."

26 August 2005

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HELICOPTER CARRIES OUT SOLENT "EMERGENCY LANDING"

26 August 2005

Two men escaped from the Hampshire-based helicopter after it ditched, between boats, off Cowes seafront.

http://www.solent.tv/content/S632606...-BOUY-MAIN.jpg

The small, private Robinson R-22 helicopter, based at Blackbushe Airport, ditched near the Prince Consort buoy at 3.36pm, on Friday afternoon. There were a number of boats in the area at the time, many taking part in the 3 day World Championship event, at Cowes. The crew of a P1 power boat were on standby, ahead of racing, when the incident happened.

The private pilot and passenger, thought to be aged in their 30s and 40s, were rescued. Eye witnesses say one of the helicopter's propellors narrowly missed a boat. The Cowes Inshore Lifeboat was also scrambled, to take the men to shore, where they were met by an ambulance crew. Powerboat organisers have consulted with the MCA and have cancelled racing for the day. It will resume tomorrow.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency says it needs to work out how deep the helicopter has sunk, in case it poses a hazard to shipping. An investigation, by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau, is underway although early signs suggest the aircraft suffered mechanical failure.

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