Oh my God, Helicopter has hit a crane

[RabidCarrot]

In Vauxhull

Thoughts with the family's of all involved

If you think about it, commonsense should tell you it's unlikely to be a terrorist attack - terrorists do not as a rule target building sites that aren't anywhere near important targets.

I doubt helicopter pilot flew too low intentionall (possible though, but a terrible risk). Could be helicopter malfunction, or freezing fog affecting it.

Yes, it's just along the embankment from St Thomas hospital.

It's only about 150m from MI6 HQ. So I can see why the T question is being asked.

How sad, thoughts to all involved

Arkady, it's within spitting distance of mi6 and the palace of Westminster, but it seems to be an accident.

Thanks. Need to look into whether or not relative getting there for appt is feasible now.

Sky News says 2 are confirmed dead.

Oh how awful

Sky news saying 2 have been confirmed dead.

2 others been taken to hospital.

As awful as it is for those families it could have been so much worse.

www.itv.com/news/story/2013-01-16/helicopter-crashes-in-london/

If you scroll down, looking at the pictures theres one of the fog about 9am.

Helicopters + Fog are generally a bad combination.

By the look of this, it could have been a LOT worse. I think this probably counts as a 'lucky escape'. Not that this is a consolation to those who have lost someone.

www.itv.com/news/story/2013-01-16/helicopter-crashes-in-london/

Jeeesus!

There's a pic of the tower with the crane on top as viewed along the helicopter flight path. It is so tall and there was fog. I can't believe that it was allowed to be built that high so near the helipad twitter.com/LHRDirector/status/291470398674051072/photo/1

The question is more WHY was a helicopter allowed to fly in such weather rather than the height of the building.

They are usually grounded with weather so bad.

Bunch of morons running towards the crash site with their twatting mobile phones, getting in the way of the emergency services. WHY????

It's not near any helipads.

I suppose we'll just have to wait for crash investigators to work out what happened any why.

@AnEventful, think the fog was very high (at top of building), so were obviously cleared to fly.

Sky news now reporting a possible sighting of a person in the thames?

Supposedly a person was spotted in the Thames after the crash, and police boats are searching.

They have reported that RNLI has said it is searching the Thames after report of possible person in the water. Nfd. I expect there will be more info later.

Meditrina, yes it is, Here

The crash is close to Vauxhall Bridge. Battersea helipad is 4 bridges along from that (about 3 miles). The Thames is generally considered the safest flying route though, as there is the chance of ditching into the river rather than onto roads/buildings. And the Tower is of course a riverbank site.

If they escape with just a handful dead they will be very lucky.

i travel through this instersection of London all the time and it's always awash with cars, buses and commuters.

2 dead and 11 injured (1 seriously)