Tragedy struck Buckinghamshire on Friday afternoon as a plane and a helicopter collided mid-air near Waddesdon Manor, close to Aylesbury. Emergency services rushed to the scene at 12:06pm but sadly, four people have been confirmed dead.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirmed the crash and dispatched a team to investigate. The aircraft involved both operated from Wycombe Air Park, near High Wycombe, which also offers flight training.
South Central Ambulance Service revealed: “We received a call at 12.09pm about a mid-air collision involving a helicopter and an aircraft near Upper Winchendon, close to Aylesbury. We sent the Thames Valley air ambulance, two ambulance crews, ambulance officers, and a rapid response vehicle. There have been multiple casualties, but that is all we can confirm at this stage.”
Thames Valley Police declared saving lives their top priority while warning locals to expect disruption all day. Seven fire engines from Aylesbury, Haddenham, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire worked with over 30 fire crew members, assisted by specialised urban search and rescue vehicles.
A Bucks Fire and Rescue spokesperson said: “Thirty fire staff from several counties are on-site, working alongside police, ambulance teams, and the AAIB.”
Though the crash did not occur on National Trust-owned Waddesdon Manor grounds, staff helped guide emergency teams to the wreckage nestled in a wooded area close to the historic estate.
Investigations are ongoing as the community reels from this shocking mid-air disaster.
Originally published by UKNIP.
