Chelsea Vice-President feared dead

[Jimbo 175]

A businessman flying back from a European cup football match is believed to have died when a helicopter he owned crashed 10 miles from his home.

 

Honorary vice-president of Chelsea FC Phillip Carter and two friends are missing along with pilot Stephen Holdich, Cambridgeshire Police said.

 

Det Supt John Raine confirmed four bodies were found in the remains of a Twin Squirrel helicopter.

 

It was found on its side and virtually intact at Wansford near Peterborough.

 

Det Supt Raine said he could not confirm the identities of the people who died.

 

Site inspection

 

"I... can confirm that the wreckage of a helicopter is within the wood, and that we have identified that there are persons on board and those persons are deceased," he said.

 

"We are waiting for the Air Accident Investigation Branch to carry out their inspection before removing the bodies and carrying out an identification."

 

The missing people had been watching Chelsea play Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final game at Anfield.

 

His firm specialises in vocational training, and employs more than 500 people in Nottingham.

 

The helicopter was piloted by Stephen Holdich, co-owner of operating company Atlas Helicopters, of Hampshire, a company spokeswoman said.

 

Jonathan Waller, a friend of Mr Carter's, was also on board the aircraft.

 

They and two other friends had been expected back at Mr Carter's house at about midnight on Tuesday night.

 

But Mr Waller's mother, Shirley, told BBC News 24 she had not heard from her son, a 42-year-old debt collector from Market Deeping, Lincolnshire, since he set off on Tuesday afternoon.

 

She said: "Jonathan and Phill are very good friends, they've been friends for many years, and they were looking forward to going to the match. Whenever Chelsea played, they'd go by helicopter."

 

The aircraft took off from John Lennon Airport, Merseyside, at 2300 BST on Tuesday and the last contact was made with it just under two hours later.

 

The helicopter had been due to land in Thornhaugh, west of Peterborough, where Mr Carter lives.

 

According to Civil Aviation Authority records, he is the joint owner of a twin-engined helicopter that is registered to his home address.

 

Poor fucker, eirily like Matthew Harding's death.

[Craig 6703]

Not good at all

[Baggio 0]

Just seen it on the news.

[Jusoda Kid 1]

I thought Harding died the same way as Freddy Mercury

[@yourservice 67]

Twin Squirrel helicopters not to be trusted

[Jimbo 175]

I thought Harding died the same way as Freddy Mercury

 

 

Harding died in a helicopter accident in 1996, after flying back from a Chelsea match away to Bolton Wanderers, along with the pilot and three passengers.