08/01/2014 Look East - East

goodbye from me. On BBC One we now join the BBC's news teams

A major investigation on the Norfolk coast today after an American air

force helicopter crashes, claiming the lives of its four crew.

It was making a strange noise and then it disappeared in the next

thing I heard was the silence. Hello and welcome to Look East. Stay

with us for the next half hour for full coverage of that incident.

We're live at the US Air Force base at Lakenheath, where the authorities

are trying to find out what caused one of the world's most advanced

aircraft to crash. Good morning, it's eight AM...

We gauge the impact on the American community both here and in the

United States. And on one of the darkest nights of

the year, Stargazing Live lights up the night sky here in the East.

Hello. The news here tonight is dominated by that helicopter crash

in Norfolk. It happened at about this time yesterday, when two United

States Air Force helicopters flew to Norfolk on a training mission. But

after leaving their base at RAF Lakenheath, one of the Pave Hawk

aircraft crashed to the ground on marshland. This is how the events

unfolded. The US Air Force says the crash

happened at around 6pm last night. Soon after, three lifeboats were

launched, but then stood down when it became clear the crash was on

land. Police, RAF and American Air Force staff went to the scene. A 400

metre cordon was set up around the crash site. The second helicopter

managed to land safely nearby. Shortly before 9:30, police

confirmed all four crew on board had died.

Well, the incident triggered a full`scale inquiry at RAF

Lakenheath. We will be hearing from our chief reporter in a moment. But

let's start with our defence reporter, who is near the scene of

the crash in North Norfolk. You can see behind me that the

police called around the accident site, 400 square metres, is still in

place, almost 24 hours after this crash will stop the bodies of the

four servicemen are still inside the wreckage. For those investigating

this terrible accident, some of whom will be from RAF Lakenheath and may

know this `` these servicemen, it must be especially harrowing.

From the air, you can see how widely the debris is scattered, covering an

area the size of a football pitch. The wreckage is unrecognisable, a

hint of the force of the impact. Nearby, the second Pave Hawk landed

safely. Those who saw the scene have spoken to investigators will stop

nobody saw or heard what happened, but these people were startled by

the sound of a low`flying helicopter just seconds before the crash.

I got up to look, because it sounded so loud. As you think anything was

wrong? Yes, I did, because it did not sound normal. It is hard to

describe. It is did not sound right. We are used to helicopters flying

over regularly. My property started to shake. Bertie

was going mad and barking. It was loud when it went over, but we did

not realise until we put the news on that it had crashed.

The investigation has been hampered by the marshy to rain and the fact

that live ammunition has been scattered around the scene. You can

see behind me, the second Pave Hawk helicopter close to the first one.

For now, it cannot take off, because there is a danger that evidence on

the ground will be disturbed. American personnel have arrived on

the scene, but now, policemen are leading the investigation. The

bodies cannot be removed, because it could disrupt the evidence. It is a

painstaking process. The air investigation aspects of very

technical. Where people buy from the UK and the

US military. `` we have people here from stop. There will be people

assisting with the recovery of the bodies from the crashed aircraft.

The Pave Hawk was on a low`level night is the size. They have night

sight technology. This man was an aviation journalist and says that

the helicopter has an excellent safety record.

It looks like the daybreak was spread over a large area, which

suggest that it was flying at this `` at a high speed. `` it looks like

the crash wreckage. It could have hit the ground flying quite low. It

is tragic, but we have concerns. We are wondering how they will get

the wreckage out when the time comes. It is a very sensitive area.

This nature reserve is a haven for wildlife, and some residents have

underlined existing concerns about low flying exercises. Tonight,

prayers are with the lives of those who have lost loved ones.

What is likely to happen about recovering the bodies of the

victims? The coroner was here this morning

and she has given mission for those bodies to be removed from the site.

When that happens, it is down to the crash investigators. They are

gathering evidence. They could be removed overnight, but I think they

will wait until first light. As to how this happened, there is still no

idea. It could have been mechanical failure, a bird strike, human error.

We do not know. The investigators will be here for several days, the

area could be cordoned off for several weeks.

At RAF Lakenheath today, flags have been flown at half mast and

President Obama rang the base earlier to express his condolences.

Let's go to Lakenheath now and hear from our chief reporter Kim Riley.

This base, like the one nearby, has very close relationships with

communities around it. It is home to the 48 Fighter Wing, the Liberty

Wing, and they are morning the deaths of four of their own. The

president rank them to express his sadness.

Military arrive at the main gate. All day, there has been a sombre

atmosphere here. They are now fighting F`15 fighters. They have

played key walls in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan. The Pave Hawk

helicopters have been vital to their crews. It is highly versatile. It

has taken part in humanitarian operations, like hurricane Katrina.

It has a four`man crew and Ken carry up to 12 passengers.

It is related to the Black Hawk. The crews have vigorous training, often

in the pitch dark at high speed. Tonight, the commander of the wing

issued a statement: Tonight, the search is under way to

find out why the Pave Hawk aircraft crashed.

It could be a long time before there is a definitive answer.

I gather the Air Force will be commenting on this tomorrow?

That is right. Colonel Robinson will be here tomorrow morning quite

early, talking to the media and Askin `` and string any questions.

We may learn the identity of the four men who died. They made it

quite clear they would not be announcing the names until 24 hours

after next of kin had been informed. This is normal procedure for

tragedies like this. They don't want relatives around the world hearing

by them media, rather than being told by their family. They will be

involved in the investigation that is unfolding. Further into the base,

there are flag is at half`mast top flowers have been laid to the memory

of those who died. In the House of Commons today, the

Prime Minister paid tribute to the American aircrew. While local MPs

praised their bravery. Our political correspondent has the reaction now

from Westminster. With many parts of the country still

flooded and the death of a Labour MP, the Commons was in a subdued

mood. Last night's crash only had a brief mention.

Our thoughts should go to the victims of the American helicopter

crash in Norfolk. But MPs said that this was a major

tragedy. It is the largest loss of American life in the country for a

long time, and the airbase has been a major part of the community for

many years. The whole of Lakenheath will be

mourning this loss. The crash shows how brave the M men are, in action

and in training, to make sure that they are always ready to defend our

freedom. `` the air crew. There is also an excerpt `` and

acceptance that there will be questions about how the military

train will stop the MOD keeps away from built`up areas, but MPs will be

looking for reassurance. When something like this happens,

there has to be a thorough examination of what happened. People

on the whole of very proud of the tradition of the RAF and the

American military being in the region, but communities have to feel

safe stop then need to be proper steps taken to make sure that the

risk to communities is minimised. But that is a debate for another

time. Today, MPs have been shocked and saddened about what happened on

the Norfolk coast will stop In other news, the death of a man at a

building site in Colchester is being investigated by

The Essex coroner says there were serious failings in the care given

to a patient who died in Basildon Hospital. Lyn O'Reilly went in for a

bowel operation but died nine days later from an infection. Her family

are now taking legal action against the hospital trust.

It has been a difficult time for her family.

It is believed that she would be alive today if it had not been for

the many mistakes that were made. She went in for a bowel operation,

but died several days later after it was not spotted that there were

problems. It was said today that there were serious failings in her

care. She said that the standard of note`taking was wonderful.

Lyn O'Reilly's `` was terrible. Lyn O'Reilly's operator said that he had

not noted the information in his notes. The hospital trust says that

they have made changes to prevent deaths like Lyn O'Reilly's. It is to

early to say if the culture can change.

The family welcome the close ongoing scrutiny of the hospital by the Care

Quality Commission. Lyn O'Reilly's family are now taking

legal action against the health trust.

Still to come, we are looking at the stars.

A lot of lights have been switched off so that people can look at the

sky. It is Stargazing Live, astronomy really is the new rock and

roll, and there is this stage to prove it.

If you've just joined us, our main story tonight is the death of four

Amercian air crew in a helicopter crash in Norfolk. The crash happened

24 hours ago. The bodies of the victims haven't been recovered yet.

The aircraft was based at RAF Lakenheath and was on a training

exercise when it crashed. Roger Smith is from Lowestoft and is an

expert in military aircraft. It has been a very safe aircraft flying at

low level at night is a potentially risky business, but they have not

had many accidents. It is a Pave Hawk, rather than a

Black Hawk? Yes, a Black Hawk is a troop carrying helicopter. The Pave

Hawk is full of electronics and avionics which helps it see in the

dark. It can follow radar and infrared, to see in the dark. The

pilots and the crew can wear night vision goggles, which helps them to

see in the dark. We heard that this was carrying

ammunition, which is part of the problem in the flare`up? `` clear

up. Yes, they do not want people to pick

them up. They should not do much damage other than being picked up.

A lot of people have suggested that it could have been a bird strike?

Yes, we will see what happens when the board of inquiry gives its

report. Helicopters do not fly as fast as low flying jets, and will be

less damaged by a bird strike. I think that if a helicopter hit a

bird, there would not be a lot of damage. If the helicopter was in a

hover and a bird hit a tail rotor, that has crashed a British Telecom

to in the past. `` British helicopter.

There's been an Amercian air force presence in Suffolk since the war.

And over the generations a close bond has developed between the large

bases and their Suffolk neighbours. Today, Look East Suffolk reporter

Kevin Burch examined the impact of the helicopter tragedy on the local

community. The world's biggest bombers visit

England's... The American presence at RAF

Lakenheath has been difficult to ignore. And RAF meet your... RAF

Lakenheath is now the largest American base in the country, home

to 6000 personnel from America. There are thousands more at a base

next door. We went behind the scenes on thanks `` Thanksgiving day, and

found out why it was called mini America.

We have 100 pounds of meat, many turkeys and hams.

But from the celebration, the mood today was commiseration. Here is the

counsellor for the village. It is very sad. Many people in the

area work for the American bases. We're like a family. This is a time

to reflect on how serious the job is.

The village here worked on the base for many years. He says that there

is a sense of shock, but the crash needs to be seen in context, given

the scale of the base. They have many flights in the day and night,

and have not lost any of four. They have done very well.

This man teaches music, many of his students from the base. He says that

the American troops always play their part, at family days and to

look after the nature reserves. Recently, many of the troops did

litter picking and tidying up at the base `` nature reserve. So it is

much appreciated. You have the fighter base and the

bombers, but they are also in our communities and are a big part of

the community. The council are planning to send the

American base flowers and a letter of condolence. Side`by`side for

years, now closer than ever. Large crowds are gathering in

Norwich this evening for an event linked to the BBC's stargazing

programme. The main activities are taking place just outside the Forum.

Our own star David Whiteley is there now.

When I was at school, I was in the astronomy club. And if you were in

the astronomy club you were a geek. But now being a geek is super cool.

Astronomy has become very rock and roll and this year's Stargazing Live

is bigger than ever. Of course, live shows on BBC Two and massive live

events like this one here in Norwich.

There is a choir singing on the stage, and they have also turned off

a lot of the light pollution in local businesses, so we can see the

stars. Hopefully it won't rain anymore. In a minute, I'll be

chatting to the stage presenter of the this show. But first, here's

Shaun Peel. It is a far cry from the sky at

night. This is stargazing in the 21st century. It is rock and roll,

and there is a three hour road show of choirs, bands and stand`up

comedy. Everyone on the stage are

scientists, but also performance. It is about making people enthusiasm,

children and adults, so that they go out and look at the sky and see the

big universe. Stargazing Live has blown the

cobwebs of thousands of telescopes and introduce the universe to a new

generation of stop last night's show was at Jodrell bank, and there was

also a report from way born on the coast. `` Weyburn.

This is what Mars looks like. There will also be a human

constellation. The space experts are marking out the pavement in the

shape of the night sky. It will be a UK first.

They are mapping out the night sky as it would be over this spot at 30

PM. They will get 200 people to stand on the markers, give them the

torch, cut the lights, everyone puts their hands in the air. That will be

filmed from up above, and there you have it, the Eastern lights.

This is what you would see. We will make the constellations in different

colours, so you can see what is up there.

Last night, the programme had the Northern lights, tonight 200 people

will create our own version, the Norwich lights.

That constellation will light up the night sky at 7:30pm. I am joined by

one of the size presenters who has just got off stage after an

energetic performance. `` science performance.

This is about getting science to a larger audience, many people think

it is is about men in white coats in a laboratory, but science is done in

Hawaii, in incredible places. So it is making people know that science

is done by a whole range of people. Astronomy, science, it can be quite

glamorous? I would not say that it is always glamorous, because it is

at night and it is cold, but it is not just done by the stereotypical

people. It can be done by anyone. A lot of people think that science is

difficult, but sometimes it is just how it is explained that makes it

difficult. So what my stage show, I like to make it into the basic

parts. I'm hoping that even eight`year`olds will know about some

of the scientific facts, by doing a big explosion. Yes, I am sure that

many of the parents will want to have washing`up liquid bottles

across the room! I am so glad that worked, but I was so happy when it's

moved 11 metres. I will be here very late, there is a lot of work to do.

The Stargazing Live event carries on until 9pm. It will be on BBC Two

until nine o'clock. I wish astronomy was this exciting when I was a

child. It was really boring. What is the weather like tonight?

I'm afraid it is not very good tonight. There is rain moving

further north. It will be making its way from the South West. It will not

be raining all evening and all night, it will be quite shallow reef

stop `` patchy rain. But there will also be rain into the early hours of

tomorrow morning. The wind will pick up. There will be a lot of cloud

around and that breeze, so it will not get very cold. Temperatures

around six or seven Celsius by the end of the night and a moderate to

fresh south`westerly breeze. Tomorrow, it will be quite cloudy

and there could be some rain around, but it will become brighter

and stop it will be an improving picture. It might be damp at first.

Temperatures will be warmer than they were today, it could be 10

Celsius, but you have to factor in the breeze. And the breeze will get

fresher throughout the day. So feeling more cold. And in the

afternoon, cooler air, and temperatures dropping. And

temperatures will drop tomorrow as well. There could be some ground

frost across the region. On Friday, there will be high

pressure, so that promises some better weather. This weather front

of moving across the country top there will not be a lot of rain by

the time we get to us. The bulk of Friday does looked right. By the end

of the day, there could be some patchy rain.

The outlook is looking quite settled. There will be dry and

bright weather on Friday, feeling cooler. Cloud increasing overnight.

Not quite as cold on Friday night. But this cold air will continue to

move downwards. So the weekend is looking dry and bright, the numbers

will go down. So highs of six Celsius, despite a lot of rain. So

the overnight lows will be colder, and still some rain by Sunday night.

A reminder of our main story. Crash investigators are expected to spend

the next few days trying to find out how a US Air Force helicopter

crashed in Norfolk, claiming the lives of its four crew. The Pave

Hawk helicopter had been on a training exercise when it happened.

Our reporter is at the site. What is the move like?

It is a very sombre mood. People understand that there are still

bodies here. At some people are saying that the night exercises

should not happen in this area is top the helicopters are sometimes

only three metres above a bird reserve. The investigation will not

have an early outcome. It will be carried out by the American

military. We may not have a result for up to a year. But our thoughts

are with the families and loved ones at RAF Lakenheath stop that is all

from us for now. There will be more in the later

bulletins and tomorrow morning on the radio. Good night.