A helicopter has reportedly crashed on the outskirts of Shanklin this morning (Bank Holiday Monday), prompting a major emergency service response.
A plethora of emergency crews are responding to the incident in the vicinity of Shanklin Road between Shanklin and Whitely Bank.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance has been scrambled, as has Coastguard Rescue 175 from Lee-on-Solent – both landing in a field beside the crash scene.
It was just before 09:30 that the first report of the aviation crash came in.
It is unclear at this early stage if any injuries have been sustained and the exact nature of the incident.
UPDATE @ 10:28 – Police have confirmed that a helicopter has crashed into a field.
The Isle of Wight Ambulance Service has mobilised 4 ambulances, a Critical Care paramedic, an Operational Commander and a Rapid Response Paramedic to the scene. Fire crews from Shanklin, Ventnor and Newport are also in attendance.
UPDATE @ 10:45 – Coastguard Helicopter 175 has now left the scene and is heading back to base. HIOWAA remains on scene tending to 1 casualty.
Shanklin Road is currently closed between the junctions with Whiteley Bank and Apse Manor Road and is expected to remain closed for several hours.
UPDATE @ 12:00 – It has been confirmed that 1 male has been airlifted to the Major Trauma Centre at Southampton General Hospital.
Police have said that they are unable to give any further updates at this time, but Island Echo understands there were a total of 4 people on board the helicopter, which was conducting one of its first flights of the day.
Resources from the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service are now standing down.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch has deployed a team to the Isle of Wight to conduct on-scene investigations and recovery.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary are expected to release further information in due course.
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The operator ( Northumbria Helecopters) says there were 4 people on board + pilot for ‘flying lessons’ and took off from Sandown Airport at ~0900. I thought the helecopter flights out of Sandown were ‘pleasure flights’…..
One of the pilots whom lives on the island gave me concern
They never checked or updated pensengers weights
Seemed to bothered about himself and what hes done in life zz