Britain’s poll candidate hurt in plane crash
May 6th, 2010 - 7:35 pm ICT by IANSLondon, May 6 (IANS) A contestant in the British general elections was injured Thursday when his two-seater aircraft crashed in Northamptonshire.
Nigel Farage, who is contesting Speaker John Bercow’s seat in Buckingham, was taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries following the crash at Hinton-in-the-Hedges airfield, near Brackley, The Telegraph reported.
The plane went down just after 8 a.m., also injuring the pilot, who reportedly had to be cut out of the cockpit and was taken to hospital.
A Northamptonshire police spokesman said: “Just after 8 a.m., a two-seater light aircraft came down at Hinton in the Hedges airfield. Two people were on board the aircraft, pilot and passenger, and both suffered what are believed to be minor injuries”.
The plane was due to fly over the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire.
The light aircraft was pulling a UKIP banner and it is believed it may have been caught up in the engine. The banner reportedly carried the slogan “Vote for your country - Vote UkIP”.
Farage was taken to Horton General Hospital in Banbury. A UKIP (UK Independence Party) spokesman said: “We’ve had unconfirmed reports that either the banner got snagged up or there were cross-winds and it was unfamiliar airfield to the pilot, who had to be cut out of the plane.
“UKIP is sure that everybody involved in today’s General Election will join us in hoping and praying that the pilot recovers from his injuries as soon as possible.”
Farage suffered “minor head injuries” but campaigners had been told to “carry on”, he said.
The aircraft was believed to be a 1960s-style biplane which left the Winchester area early today and flew into Hinton. The accident happened as it was taking off again from Hinton, the spokesman said.
A 40-year-old man, who was working at the airfield when the accident happened, said: “I was in the hangar and suddenly all these ambulances and fire engines went past. I saw the plane take off. All I know is that it was banner-towing for UKIP.”
Richard Harrison, who owns the airfield, said it had been closed and air crash investigators were on their way to the scene.
He said he did not know what caused the crash or the make of the plane involved.
- Pilot dies as trainer aircraft crashes - Jul 29, 2011
- Britain heads for hung Parliament in cliffhanger election (Lead) - May 07, 2010
- Britain heads for hung parliament (Second Lead) - May 07, 2010
- Britons flock to polls to choose new government (Second Lead) - May 06, 2010
- IAF plane crashes near Chennai, pilots safe (Lead) - Jan 31, 2012
- Britons flock to polling booths to elect new government (Third Lead) - May 06, 2010
- Chetak chopper crashes, pilots safe - Aug 27, 2010
- Fighter jet crashes in northwestern India, killing the pilot - Aug 02, 2011
- Su-30 fighter crashes in Russia, crew safe - Feb 28, 2012
- Two die in mid-air crash in Britain - Sep 05, 2010
- Yet another MiG-21 crashes, pilot bails out - Oct 07, 2011
- Chetak chopper crashes, pilots escape with minor injuries (Lead) - Aug 27, 2010
- Woman pilot hurt in Pakistan Air Force plane crash (Lead) - Jan 25, 2012
- Small plane crashes into New York building - Jun 06, 2010
- IAF Mirage-2000 crashes, pilots bail out (Lead) - Mar 05, 2012
Tags: aircraft pilot, biplane, cross winds, fire engines, general elections, hinton in the hedges, hinton in the hedges airfield, life threatening injuries, light aircraft, minor head injuries, nigel farage, northamptonshire police, party spokesman, plane crash, police spokesman, s poll, seater aircraft, uk independence party, ukip, winchester area