Probe into fatal helicopter crash

An investigation has begun into the cause of an RAF Puma helicopter crash in North Yorkshire which left two people dead and 10 injured.

Police said the deaths were confirmed at the scene after the crash on land to the west of Catterick Garrison army base at about 2100 BST on Wednesday.

Injured people were taken to hospitals in Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Darlington and Northallerton.

The Ministry of Defence said the Puma came from RAF Benson in Oxfordshire.

See map of crash site

It confirmed in a statement the aircraft was part of 33 Squadron, RAF Benson and a board of inquiry will investigate the cause of the accident.

This helicopter went onto its side and then shot off Eyewitness Andrew Pavey

North Yorkshire Police said three of the people on board the helicopter were RAF crew, and nine Army personnel were passengers.

A helpline number has been issued for concerned families of service personnel - 08457 800900.

Some of the casualties were taken by RAF Sea King helicopter to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, a Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokeswoman said.

Others were flown to Newcastle while one person was taken by road ambulance to Friarage Hospital, Northallerton.

Shortly after 1100 BST on Thursday, two blacked-out Vauxhall Vectras were seen leaving the site, carrying the bodies.

Local resident Andrew Pavey said he had witnessed the crash.

"We watched this helicopter quite rapidly go straight up into the air and it didn't sound right," he told BBC News.

"It sounded like the engine was misfiring or something - it was making a hell of a racket.

"This helicopter went onto its side and then shot off. I didn't hear [any] bangs or [anything]. I didn't see [any] flames or anything like that at all."

The crash was near the Hudswell Grange wooded area to the west of Catterick Garrison. The garrison, in the northern tip of Yorkshire, is the UK's largest Army base, with 7,500 regular soldiers, 1,900 recruits and 2,000 civilian staff.

The base covers 2,400 acres, with a further 20,000 acres of training land.

Details investigated

MoD spokesman Michael Mulford told BBC News 24: "An RAF helicopter, just shortly before 2130, did come down just on the edge of the Catterick Garrison which is locally known as Hudswell Grange.

"We did launch a major search and rescue operation involving two helicopters, two mountain rescue teams and our colleagues from the police service."

The helicopter would have been flying "in support of the army in some sort of manoeuvres or training", he added.

"The investigation will go through every possible detail, everything to do with the maintenance of the aircraft, everything to do with crew hours and flying hours as well as weather conditions, mechanics and electrics - everything that you can think of that might contribute to an accident."

Squadron Leader Rodney Burges, of RAF Leeming, said the helicopter appeared to have rolled onto its side and had "extensive damage".

He said: "Our sympathy goes to the families and we are very sad for what has happened. We are doing everything we can to help them at this difficult time."

RAF Puma helicopters like the one that crashed in North Yorkshire can reach a speed of 147 knots and carry 16 fully-equipped troops or up to two tonnes of freight.

The same helicopter type was involved in an accident in Iraq in April, in which two British servicemen were killed after two RAF Pumas collided.

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