M5 Crash
 

I was stuck in the traffic southbound for three hours about 1k from the crash site on the M5 on Friday Nov 4th. During this time I believe I heard a Sea King approach the scene at least twice. I could only hear it, the fog was too thick to see any Nav lights. Can anyone confirm this?

Good ears: Solent Coastguard helicopter sent to M5 crash site

I/C

M5 Crash
 

Many thanks for the confirmation. Good ears? It's my job, I'm a TV sound mixer and I was en route to cover the Rugby in Exeter the following day. In those conditions I can be forgiven for confusing the noise signature of an S61 for a Sea King. We were eventually U turned on the motorway and in Exeter at 00.15. Well done the police and all the other services, shame the machine could not help. RIP for those lost...

Isn't Solent's helicopter an AW139?

Indeed they are - since 2008.

............their imitation of a 61/Sea king is spectacular!

42 seconds in: landing lamp pattern and engine/rotor signature will bring out the experts ;)

I stand corrected (and I feel ancient...).

I/C

Would be interesting to know why they were called.

Thermal camera to search for victims who wandered off?
There was a river nearby...


Mickjoebill

No the Police will do that. I suspect it was more for the CASEVAC option.

Fortunately Taunton Hospital was six ambulance minutes away!

True tangoromeo but most of the victims were taken to Yeovil!

True, but they were classed as "walking wounded", a consultant from Taunton said on BBC Points West last night that had the journey to his hospital been more than six minutes there would have been two more fatalities.

Was the police airwing called?
If not, was coastguard thought better able to search due to better suited FLIR or avionics?



Portsmith news reports that a Coastguard spokesperson said
‘They were requested to search the area but they couldn’t because of the bad weather.’
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/loc...site_1_3222782

Mickjoebill