Four U.S. Air Force crew members are dead after their helicopter crashed on the coast of eastern England Tuesday during a training mission.
Military officials have confirmed the Pave Hawk helicopter was participating in a low-flying training exercise when it suddenly went down in Norfolk County. (Via BBC)
"I heard what I thought was a plane getting closer. And I thought, 'God, that's low.' I suppose I felt there was something wrong." (Via Sky News)
The aircraft was reportedly carrying ammunition at the time of the accident, and police have launched an investigation to make sure the site is safe and secure. (Via The Guardian)
But the crash reportedly took place in a remote area far away from any major cities or towns, and there are no other reported causalities except for the four inside the helicopter.
The BBC reports the aircraft took off from the U.S. airbase at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.
According to the U.S. Air Force website, Pave Hawk helicopters are "highly modified" versions of the better-known Black Hawks. The aircrafts are often used for combat search-and-rescue missions, and they practice flying low and fast to prepare for such situations.
Police say they won't release the names of the four victims until their families have been notified. The military and local authorities say they are working to have the bodies removed from the site during daylight hours Wednesday. (Via Al Jazeera)
