patsylabrador Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 This is on the news. It happened close to ES's flat where he watches them coming into the helipad. The point of this post is to say that I have often commented on how ES gets caught up in disasters and we now call him The Prince of Darkness. However, he is out of the country and can't be blamed for this one. On a serious note: dramatic pictures on news, trying to contact ES's girlfriend but I'm confident she won't be involved. No news on casualties but it looks hopeless for the pilot. The crane is in a precarious state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angeluk69 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 OH's cousin lives near there and even he's said how surprising nothing has happened before with the amount of building works in the area. I naturally hope the number of casualties is low, especially considering the time of day it occurred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Horrific news I heard this at 8.15am as breaking news just before I turned the radio off this morning; I immediately rang my aunt and uncle as they live very near. They heard it but aren't affected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Just heard that it's at St Georges Wharf - I know it well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Contacted girlfriend. She had already left and missed it all. YS has just been posted there so will be interesting to hear his news. More casualty news now, poor people but I think a lot of people were very lucky today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 It seems the crane driver is a very lucky man. He was late due to dropping his children off (he had never been late before) and thus wasn't at the top of the crane, where he would definitely have been killed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Yes it was definitely the crane drivers lucky day. The helicopter pilot went to school in Rutland and regularly flew the Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance. So sad but amazing that more were not hurt or killed. DD and DS both texted OH to see if he was in London today and ok, I didn't hear about the crash until after school so I didn't text him Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 It seems the crane driver is a very lucky man. He was late due to dropping his children off (he had never been late before) and thus wasn't at the top of the crane, where he would definitely have been killed. Wow !!!!! Someone was def smiling on him today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 It seems the crane driver is a very lucky man. He was late due to dropping his children off (he had never been late before) and thus wasn't at the top of the crane, where he would definitely have been killed. Wow !!!!! Someone was def smiling on him today! According to a colleague, the crane driver said he was going to buy a lottery ticket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 A very, very lucky man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 We have just found out that the pilot was the next door neighbour to my Husbands best friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Poor man - he was, according to the press, a very experienced and very well respected pilot. I feel so sad for his family (apparently he had two children) and the family of the person killed 'on the ground'. It would seem, again from the press, that it was a tragic accident due to a combination of bad weather and no light onthe crane? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 YS was posted there overnight and said that standing there and seeing what was around the crash site, you realise just how miraculous it was that more people weren't seriously hurt. By the way, Sainsbury and Starbucks were kind to emergency services working there during the very cold night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 It would seem, again from the press, that it was a tragic accident due to a combination of bad weather and no light onthe crane? I wish the press would stop speculating, the AAIB will publish a report in due course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 I am amazed that more people weren't killed or injured, especially as it was so close to the shop and track lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 It would seem, again from the press, that it was a tragic accident due to a combination of bad weather and no light onthe crane? I wish the press would stop speculating, the AAIB will publish a report in due course. As a (fixed-wing) pilot, I entirely agree. The light is a red-herring as it would only have been lit at night. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 For anyone who's interested, the Air Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) have issued an interim report. http://www.aaib.gov.uk/publications/special_bulletins/s1_2013___agusta_a109e__g_crst.cfm H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
