Helicopter crashes in central London

At around 8 am this morning, a helicopter hit a crane by St George Wharf development, one of Europe’s tallest residential towers in Vauxhall, London. It span off the crane and crashed to the ground, setting at least one car on fire.

The helicopter set fire to surrounding buildings and sent debris flying in the vicinity of the crash. There are presently 60 firemen attending the site on Wandsworth Road. 

Two people are confirmed dead on the scene, including the helicopter pilot. Two people were rescued from the site immediately and are now in hospital. Eleven casualties have been reported so far, one of them critically injured.

The helicopter was on his way to the Battersea Helipad.

The fire brigade reported that the crane had been left in a precarious position. Visibility seems to have also been an issue, as thick fog and low clouds were reported this morning.

The busy nearby bus station and Vauxhall tube entrance have been closed, the area has been evacuated, but tube services are running normally. Traffic is badly affected in the area.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, held a press conference and offered his thoughts to the families of the victims and the injured. The Metropolitan Police are treating the crash as a major incident; and, although the MI5 offices’ building is very near, this incident is not treated as a possible terrorist attack.

Isabelle Needham