See the Shocking Moment a Helicopter Tried to Land on a Superyacht But Ended Up Crashing Into Water (Video)

 

This is the dramatic moment a helicopter tried to land on a £25million superyacht in a Norwegian fjord before flipping over into the sea leaving three Britons injured.

 

Pictures show the £1 million AS 350B hovering above the aft deck of the 196ft Bacarella, near Sandviken, Norway.

 

But seconds later, the helicopter - which had earlier flown from the Shetland Islands to refuel -  is believed to have caught its rotors in a tarpaulin before spinning out of control and landing upside down in the sea.

 

Photos show the aircraft upside in the water near the luxury vessel on Wednesday before emergency crews had arrived at the scene. 

 

One of the three people on board, a 57-year-old, is understood to be in a serious condition while the other two, aged 53 and 62, suffered cuts and bruises and have been discharged from Haukeland University Hospital. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) confirmed the trio were hurt on Wednesday, in what was believed to be a botched landing. 

 

The chopper was equipped with floats which prevented it from sinking and the three people on board were also wearing survival suits. 

 

The British-registered helicopter flew from the Shetlands to Bergen to refuel before making a rendezvous with the 196ft yacht, which was built in 2009.

 

According to local media, all three people on board the aircraft tested negative for intoxicants.

 

 

 

The chopper crashed on Wednesday afternoon and was removed from the sea earlier today. Norwegian air crash investigators have begun a probe into the cause of the accident.  

 

It is not yet clear who owns Bacarella, which was sold to an undisclosed owner at auction three years ago.

 

A brochure for the luxury vessel says one of its aft decks is 'certified from build as a helicopter deck and has fold down railings all around in order to accommodate the landing of an EC135 type and sized helicopter.'

 

This, it says, brings Bacarerlla 'right into the super yacht playing field.'

Bergen resident Jan Haughland, 48, was taking photographs of a tall ship in the fjord when he heard a 'crash and splash in one'.

 

He told the Press Association: 'It was exactly at sunset and I was concentrating on the tall ship when I heard the crash.

Mr Haughland said up to five boats raced to the scene, including a passing passenger ferry that diverted from its course.

 

 

The casualties began arriving at the quayside around an hour after the incident, he said.

 

 

The computer programmer said it was a 'mystery' who the boat was owned by or who was on board.

 

 

 

There are usually 'two or three really big luxury yachts' in the harbour at any time and he believed the Bacarella had arrived at least three days before the incident.

'It's a popular place to visit for the very, very rich,' Mr Haughland said. 

 

Kara Lynsdale, from London, was aboard the Statsraad Lehmkuhl Tall Ship in Bergen harbour with her parents when she saw the incident unfold.

 

The 30-year-old said: 'We sort of looked to our left and just saw this helicopter just fall into the sea.

She added: 'It just looked like it fell, it kind of just splashed into the water... It almost looked like it rolled off the boat, or hadn't landed properly on the boat and missed it.

Miss Lynsdale said she saw a person being given CPR while being jetted across the harbour on a boat.

 

 

She praised the fast response of vessels in the harbour and said she was not sure if the people escaped from the helicopter themselves or were rescued.  

 

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: 'We can confirm that three British people were injured in an incident in Bergen, Norway on May 10.

 

Watch the dramatic video below:

 

 

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Via Daily Mail UK