Helicopter Crashes into Central London High-Rise

Stephen Pope

Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 10:29 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

An AgustaWestland AW109 helicopter crashed into a construction crane atop a London high-rise in thick fog, killing the pilot and one person on the ground, injuring 13, and sparking a fire.
The accident occurred during morning rush hour in the city center, initially raising fears of a terror attack before police confirmed it was accidental.
The pilot was diverting to London Battersea Heliport due to low ceilings and poor visibility, which witnesses described as having a cloud base below the tower and crane.

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An AgustaWestland AW109 crashed in thick fog into a construction crane atop a London residential high-rise on Wednesday morning, killing the pilot and one person on the ground and sparking a fire when the helicopter plunged to the ground.

According to news reports from London, 13 others were injured in the crash near a busy intersection at the height of the morning rush hour in the city center. Amid fears of a terror attack, police were quick to term the crash an accident and nothing more. The crash site is located close to MI6’s headquarters.