Helicopter crash in London...

[Kumquat]

Agreed. This area would have been heaving with traffic and people at 8 in the morning.
Casualties could rise if as reported, the chopper landed on two cars!

An eyewitness said that bizarrely there was hardly any traffic and normally there was much more at that time. Incredibly fortunate that it wasn't more.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

An eyewitness said that bizarrely there was hardly any traffic and normally there was much more at that time. Incredibly fortunate that it wasn't more.

Was surprised how little there were in numbers of commuters on the Hammersmith and City going west this morning.

Anyway 2 dead, 9 injured, 1 critical.

 

[sant andreu]

Erin Rogers, who was waiting at a bus stop outside Vauxhall station, said:
"It's something I will never forget for a long time."

 

[OSRGull]

My friend was meant to be working a minute down the road, luckily he didn't need to work today!

 

[Nibble]

Christ, the FB tragedy hoggers have started. "to my brave colleagues who made it to work today", "A sad day for London" "Well done to my team at work for handling all the worried phone calls, such calm in the face of tragedy". These are not emergency service people, these people work in offices and shops. Pathetic.

 

[Butch Willykins]

An eyewitness said that bizarrely there was hardly any traffic and normally there was much more at that time. Incredibly fortunate that it wasn't more.

I commute to London on the Wandsworth Road by car 2-3 times a week. It is usually nose to tail traffic jam through the exact area the Helicopter came down, which I think is just near the big Sainsburys.

Absolutely amazing that so few people seem to have been badly hurt.

 

[Woodchip]

Christ, the FB tragedy hoggers have started. "to my brave colleagues who made it to work today", "A sad day for London" "Well done to my team at work for handling all the worried phone calls, such calm in the face of tragedy". These are not emergency service people, these people work in offices and shops. Pathetic.

Mine was a nice simple "Holy feck, hope the causality count isn't too high in Vauxhall."

 

[Butch Willykins]

Christ, the FB tragedy hoggers have started. "to my brave colleagues who made it to work today", "A sad day for London" "Well done to my team at work for handling all the worried phone calls, such calm in the face of tragedy". These are not emergency service people, these people work in offices and shops. Pathetic.

I'm steering clear of social media today for this very reason! People going overboard to be seen grieving when they probably live in Scunthorpe and haven't a sodding clue where Vauxhall is. #prayforhelicopters

 

[Lady Whistledown]

'Sarah-Beth Casey lives in an apartment near the incident. She told Sky News: "You're always worried about things like 9/11 and things like that"'

Yeah. I'm ALWAYS worried about 9/11. Never leaves my mind

 

[Kumquat]

I commute to London on the Wandsworth Road by car 2-3 times a week. It is usually nose to tail traffic jam through the exact area the Helicopter came down, which I think is just near the big Sainsburys.

Absolutely amazing that so few people seem to have been badly hurt.

Me too. Used to walk past that to work every day at that time. It's an absolute miracle that on this occasion it wasn't.

 

[Nibble]

Sarah-Beth lives in London, therefore she does not live in an apartment, she lives in a FLAT.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Sarah-Beth lives in London, therefore she does not live in an apartment, she lives in a FLAT.

It doesn't mean she doesn't spend every waking moment worrying about 9/11 though.

She probably gets the Tube everywhere without giving a second thought to the notion that somebody might bomb that...

 

[Nibble]

It doesn't mean she doesn't spend every waking moment worrying about 9/11 though.

She probably gets the Tube everywhere without giving a second thought to the notion that somebody might bomb that...

Her life must be a constant vigil of fear and terror. And buns.

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

Probably a bit on common sense as well, unless there were problems seem strange to risk it when there are so many large buildings.

LBC Radio reported it was on diversion, and not originally intending to land at Battersea. Apparently they use the river as a guideline during poor visibility. Of course one's heart goes out to those involved and their families, and the time for inquiries is later, but someone in the Mayor's office needs to answer as to why permission was given for such a tall building in that location (supposedly the tallest residential building in Europe if one ignores the Shard). The building is right next to a flight path into the heliport and (according to an aviation chap on LBC) the area where aircraft begin their final descent into Heathrow. I see them coming in and out from my desk in my spare bedroom, so can confirm the heliport is busy, particularly at commuter times.

 

[Meade's Ball]

I was having an MRI this morning, in a lorry as the health centre i went to is being done up, and they told me there'd be a lot of noise in there and do i want to listen to music. I said NAH. The sounds of the scanning machine were trippy enough anyway and i was getting quite into it. With 2 minutes to go the headphones they made me wear had the voice of one of the Radiographers saying IT IS ABOUT TO GET VERY LOUD, I WILL TURN THE MUSIC ON. I DON'T WANT YOU TO PANIC. Unfortunately, the first thing that i am listening to is the radio news "Two dead in this terrible helicopter tragedy. More news to follow." At that moment, yes i did begin to panic as the scanner i am in thunders into action, shaking my eardrums about the place, the world vibrating and the combined memory of the radiographer's insistence that i mustn't open my eyes, which i don't, and a vast explosion that might be near my workplace and friends. That was a rough 90 seconds. I stagger out and tell them to be careful what they play in there.
Gee willikers.

 

[Kumquat]

LBC Radio reported it was on diversion, and not originally intending to land at Battersea. Apparently they use the river as a guideline during poor visibility. Of course one's heart goes out to those involved and their families, and the time for inquiries is later, but someone in the Mayor's office needs to answer as to why permission was given for such a tall building in that location (supposedly the tallest residential building in Europe if one ignores the Shard). The building is right next to a flight path into the heliport and (according to an aviation chap on LBC) the area where aircraft begin their final descent into Heathrow. I see them coming in and out from my desk in my spare bedroom, so can confirm the heliport is busy, particularly at commuter times.

I think the height is 750 feet and the helicopter was supposed to be flying at 1000 feet. That's what I heard on BBC. So tall or not it shoudn't have been an issue.

 

[Nibble]

It appears the crane operator, who would have normally been sat in the thing at that time of day was late for work. Eccy thump!

 

[beefypigeon]

I was having an MRI this morning, in a lorry as the health centre i went to is being done up, and they told me there'd be a lot of noise in there and do i want to listen to music. I said NAH. The sounds of the scanning machine were trippy enough anyway and i was getting quite into it. With 2 minutes to go the headphones they made me wear had the voice of one of the Radiographers saying IT IS ABOUT TO GET VERY LOUD, I WILL TURN THE MUSIC ON. I DON'T WANT YOU TO PANIC. Unfortunately, the first thing that i am listening to is the radio news "Two dead in this terrible helicopter tragedy. More news to follow." At that moment, yes i did begin to panic as the scanner i am in thunders into action, shaking my eardrums about the place, the world vibrating and the combined memory of the radiographer's insistence that i mustn't open my eyes, which i don't, and a vast explosion that might be near my workplace and friends. That was a rough 90 seconds. I stagger out and tell them to be careful what they play in there.
Gee willikers.

I had an MRI scan last year and it certainly is a bizarre experience.

When I had mine done they put the headphones on and started the music playing whilst I entered the chamber before the loud noises started occurring.

The song that started playing whilst I was being 'fed' into the chamber was 'The Drugs Don't Work', by the Verve. Just the song I want to be listening to. I understand the song has since been removed from their playlist!

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

I think the height is 750 feet and the helicopter was supposed to be flying at 1000 feet. That's what I heard on BBC. So tall or not it shoudn't have been an issue.

True, but it might add to confusion if one was in trouble and/or visibility was poor. Still, not the time to speculate, so I'll leave it there.

 

[clapham_gull]

True, but it might add to confusion if one was in trouble and/or visibility was poor. Still, not the time to speculate, so I'll leave it there.

Now being reported that the helicopter was travelling from Redhill to Elstree but had turned back due to weather. Was on it's way back to Surrey.

Possibly trying to land early at the landing in Battersea ?

With respect to the victims and probably mentioned above, extraordinary there weren't more deaths.