A tragic helicopter crash on the Isle of Wight has left three people dead and one seriously injured after the aircraft spiralled out of control and came down in a field near the A3020 close to Shanklin. The incident happened at around 09:20 BST, prompting police to declare a major incident.
The helicopter, operated by Northumbria Helicopters, had departed from Sandown Airport roughly 20 minutes before the crash. The sole survivor was airlifted to University Hospital Southampton, where they remain in a critical condition.
Eyewitness Leigh Goldsmith, who was driving nearby, described the helicopter “spiralling” before impact. She was among the first to arrive at the scene and confirmed that four people had been on board, adding that the airbags appeared to have deployed.
Emergency services, including police, ambulance, and fire crews, attended the site. Authorities are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, which occurred during a flying lesson.
