Post by stevenferguson on May 3, 2007 7:04:50 GMT
Info on Chelsea Fasns helicopter crash:
Fears for wealthy Chelsea fan after helicopter crash
PA
Published: 02 May 2007
Bodies were discovered today in a helicopter which crashed with a wealthy Chelsea supporter onboard.
The helicopter was found in Wansford, Cambridgeshire, today, prompting fears for the four people onboard, including wealthy businessman Phillip Carter.
Detective Superintendent John Raine, of Cambridgeshire Police, confirmed bodies were in the wreckage.
The aircraft disappeared off radar screens just after midnight after taking off from Liverpool following last night's European Cup semi-final.
A search helicopter spotted the wreckage at around 10.15am in woodland near Wansford, near Peterborough.
Mr Raine said: "The wreckage is pretty much intact. There are persons on board and those persons are deceased."
He said he was not aware of any reports of a helicopter being in distress in the early hours and did not know if the helicopter had made a mayday call.
He said a coroner and investigators from the Department of Transport Air Accidents Investigation Branch were at the site where the wreckage was found.
He said police were trying to establish that the people reported missing were those found dead in the wrecked helicopter.
Family liaison officers have been assigned to the families of the people known to have been on the helicopter when it left Liverpool.
The helicopter was carrying Chelsea Football Club honorary vice president Phillip Carter and three others.
Mr Carter, founder of training company Carter & Carter, lived with his wife Judith and teenage son and daughter at Thornhaugh Hall, north west of Peterborough.
The pilot was Stephen Holdich, 49, co-owner of operating company Atlas Helicopters, of Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire.
Shirley Waller, of Market Deeping, near Peterborough, told the BBC her son Jonathan was also on board. The fourth person has not yet been identified.
The helicopter left John Lennon Airport in Liverpool and was heading to a private landing site near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, when it vanished.
It was one of many helicopter flights that left the North West following last night's Champions League clash between Liverpool and Chelsea.
Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire Police were involved in the search.
Search helicopters from nearby RAF Wittering spent the morning scouring land near the family home which included forests, farmland, quarries and a landfill site.
Jack Irvine, of Atlas Helicopters, said staff are "deeply shocked".
He said Mr Holdich had 20 years' experience of flying helicopters and was the managing director and chief pilot of Atlas Helicopters.
He said: "Naturally, we will co-operate fully with crash investigators. We are not in a position to confirm the identity of the passengers until the police make an official statement.
"Atlas was established in November 2001 and operates two AS 355 Twin Squirrel helicopters.
"The company has a number of regular clients, as well as ad hoc business. Atlas employs three staff."
Steven
Fears for wealthy Chelsea fan after helicopter crash
PA
Published: 02 May 2007
Bodies were discovered today in a helicopter which crashed with a wealthy Chelsea supporter onboard.
The helicopter was found in Wansford, Cambridgeshire, today, prompting fears for the four people onboard, including wealthy businessman Phillip Carter.
Detective Superintendent John Raine, of Cambridgeshire Police, confirmed bodies were in the wreckage.
The aircraft disappeared off radar screens just after midnight after taking off from Liverpool following last night's European Cup semi-final.
A search helicopter spotted the wreckage at around 10.15am in woodland near Wansford, near Peterborough.
Mr Raine said: "The wreckage is pretty much intact. There are persons on board and those persons are deceased."
He said he was not aware of any reports of a helicopter being in distress in the early hours and did not know if the helicopter had made a mayday call.
He said a coroner and investigators from the Department of Transport Air Accidents Investigation Branch were at the site where the wreckage was found.
He said police were trying to establish that the people reported missing were those found dead in the wrecked helicopter.
Family liaison officers have been assigned to the families of the people known to have been on the helicopter when it left Liverpool.
The helicopter was carrying Chelsea Football Club honorary vice president Phillip Carter and three others.
Mr Carter, founder of training company Carter & Carter, lived with his wife Judith and teenage son and daughter at Thornhaugh Hall, north west of Peterborough.
The pilot was Stephen Holdich, 49, co-owner of operating company Atlas Helicopters, of Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire.
Shirley Waller, of Market Deeping, near Peterborough, told the BBC her son Jonathan was also on board. The fourth person has not yet been identified.
The helicopter left John Lennon Airport in Liverpool and was heading to a private landing site near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, when it vanished.
It was one of many helicopter flights that left the North West following last night's Champions League clash between Liverpool and Chelsea.
Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire Police were involved in the search.
Search helicopters from nearby RAF Wittering spent the morning scouring land near the family home which included forests, farmland, quarries and a landfill site.
Jack Irvine, of Atlas Helicopters, said staff are "deeply shocked".
He said Mr Holdich had 20 years' experience of flying helicopters and was the managing director and chief pilot of Atlas Helicopters.
He said: "Naturally, we will co-operate fully with crash investigators. We are not in a position to confirm the identity of the passengers until the police make an official statement.
"Atlas was established in November 2001 and operates two AS 355 Twin Squirrel helicopters.
"The company has a number of regular clients, as well as ad hoc business. Atlas employs three staff."
Steven