Scotland helicopter crash: Man dies after aircraft ditches in Western Isles loch
No other people are believed to have been on board
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A man has died after a helicopter ditched in a loch in the Western Isles off the coast of Scotland.
Police said the AS350 Squirrel aircraft ditched in a loch between Lochmaddy and Clachan Na Luib on North Uist on Wednesday morning. No other people are believed to have been on board the helicopter other than the man, who was 58-years-old.
The helicopter was working for the Scottish Salmon Company at the time.
Officers from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) are travelling to the scene.
Chief Inspector Ian Graham, Area Commander for the Western Isles, said: “Firstly, our thoughts are with the man’s family and the local community at this difficult time.
“Our inquiries into this are ongoing and we are liaising with other agencies, including the Air Accidents Investigation Bureau, in order to establish the full circumstances.”
Police and ambulance crews attended the crash, which forced the closure of local roads for a time.
A spokesman for PDG Aviation, the helicopter’s owners, told the Press Association: “I am able to confirm it was one of our aircraft.
“It was out working at the time for the Scottish Salmon Company, but it was not carrying salmon.”
The spokesman said they want to work with the authorities to help in the investigation and find out exactly what happened.
The man’s next of kin have been informed.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments