Safety

Four bodies have been found inside a crashed private helicopter that disappeared off radar screens after leaving John Lennon Airport in Liverpool, UK.

The aircraft - a twin-engine Aerospatiale Squirrel with the registration G-BYPA - was reported missing after it failed to arrive at a private landing site in the east of England.

The crash site was located in woodland between Wansford and Duddington, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.

Four people including millionaire Phillip Carter and his teenage son Andrew were believed to be on board the helicopter which was heading for Mr Carter's home at nearby Thornhaugh.

The group were returning from watching Chelsea play Liverpool in a European Champions League football match.

Businessman Mr Carter, 44, is an honorary vice-president of Chelsea FC.

He has an £84.4m stake in Carter & Carter, the firm he founded to provide a support service to vehicle makers, making him Britain's 770th wealthiest person, according to The Sunday Times Rich List.

Image of the missing aircraft - Source: CAA

The pilot was named as Stephen Holdich, co-owner of operating company Atlas Helicopters, Hampshire.

Another other passenger was named as Jonathan Waller.

The cause of the crash is unknown and the identity of the four bodies found at the scene have not been released.

Police said the helicopter embarked on the 150-mile trip at 2300 BST on Tuesday (1 May) and last contact was made with it just under two hours later.

In 1996, Chelsea's vice-chairman Matthew Harding and four others were killed in a helicopter crash as they returned from a football match.

Official Aircraft Details