39-year-old from Sutton named as second victim of London helicopter crash as police chief speaks of disbelief that accident did not claim more lives
- Matthew Wood, 39, died after the helicopter came crashing down onto the street in Vauxhall during peak rush hour
- RotorMotion pilot Pete Barnes, 50, worked on films such as Die Another Day, Tomb Raider II and Saving Private Ryan
- Helicopter hit crane at top of The Tower St George Wharf in central London today and cartwheeled before exploding
- Struck ground just 20 yards from Vauxhall station and area was evacuated because of precarious position of crane
- Two people died and at least 12 injured - one critically - in crash involving helicopter flying to Elstree, Hertfordshire
- Four out of five injured people taken to hospital have been discharged
- Plume of smoke visible at 8am with bystanders saying weather was bad and 'you could hardly see top of building'
- Eyewitnesses saw 'a flash and helicopter plunged to the ground' and said 'people were screaming after it crashed'
- London Fire Brigade: Eight fire engines, four fire rescue units and 88 firefighters attended along with ambulances
- Firefighters trying to make structure safe and insist there is 'no imminent risk of crane collapsing at the moment'
- Air Accidents Investigation Branch begins investigation to establish if proper procedures were followed by pilot
- MI6 'went into lockdown' but London's Counter Terrorism Command says there's 'nothing to suggest terrorism link'
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Police officers have this evening named the second victim of this morning's horrific helicopter crash in central London.
Matthew Wood, 39, from Sutton, died after the helicopter came crashing down onto the street in Vauxhall during peak rush hour.
The pilot, named earlier as Pete Barnes, was flying the helicopter when it flew into a newly-built tower before hitting the ground.
This evening, Metropolitan Police Commander Neil Basu spoke of his disbelief that the crash did not claim more lives.
The police boss said: 'It was something of a miracle that this was not many, many times worse.'
The tragedy could have been immeasurably worse because the aircraft hit the ground just 20 yards from Vauxhall train station, which is a major commuting hub in the capital and an extremely busy route at peak time.
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Devastation: The fatal collision caused a huge amount of wreckage, and roads were cordoned off as emergency services dealt with the injured
Cordoned off: The wreckage of the helicopter and the car are seen in Vauxhall, central London, following the crash that happened at 8am today
Destruction: The scene in Vauxhall after a helicopter crashed in to a crane on top of skyscraper which is under construction
Major emergency: The scene of a helicopter crash on Wandsworth Road in Vauxhall, central London, after the fire had been extinguished
Met Police Commander Neil Basu said it was a miracle more people didn't die in the fatal crash
Dozens of trains packed with hundreds of commuters were passing through the area as they used the busy station during peak rush hour.
Train drivers had to stop their engines because they could not see as plumes of smoke drifted across the tracks.
The pilot who died in a crash which also killed Mr Wood, who was on the street, was today named as experienced aviator Pete Barnes.
He had requested to divert via Heathrow air traffic control and land at Battersea Heliport, due to bad weather conditions, when the helicopter hit a construction crane at the top of the tower near Vauxhall Bridge at 8am.
Mr Barnes, 50, who flew a helicopter for James Bond film Die Another Day and had been an air ambulance pilot, was pronounced dead at the scene.
It was the first ever fatal helicopter crash in central London since records began in 1976.
The AgustaWestland AW109 twin-engine helicopter, which struck the under-construction The Tower St George Wharf, was reported to have been carrying Mr Barnes but no passengers.
One witness claimed the crane driver had a lucky escape after being unusually late for work.
The aircraft was using the route of the River Thames and was believed to have been heading from Redhill, Surrey, to Elstree, Hertfordshire, to collect an executive, whose identity is as yet unconfirmed.
Witnesses reported very low cloud at the time of the accident, suggesting the pilot may not have seen the crane, which was barely visible from street level. At least two cars were hit by debris.
The area was evacuated because of the precarious position of the crane at the top of the tower.
Five of the 12 injured were taken to hospital and the other seven were treated at the scene, ambulance officials said. Three were taken to St Thomas’ Hospital.
Two went to King’s College Hospital but were discharged by the afternoon.
A reception centre for members of public involved in the incident was also set up by London Ambulance Service staff.
Just one person remains in hospital after the tragic crash, as four of the five people taken to A&E after being injured the collision have been sent home.
Both St Thomas' and King's College hospitals have released two of their patients who were being treated for minor injuries after the incident.
Another patient, believed to have broken their leg, still remains at St Thomas' Hospital in south London and is expected to be kept there overnight.
A spokesperson for St Thomas' said: 'Of the three patients admitted to St Thomas' Hospital following the incident in Vauxhall, two have been discharged and one remains as an inpatient.'
A representative from King's College Hospital added: 'Following the helicopter crash in London this morning, we can confirm that the two patients being treated at King's College Hospital for minor injuries have been discharged.'
The crash happened near busy Vauxhall train station, which sees hundreds of commuters pass over its tracks every day
Dense smoke drifted across the train tracks at Vauxhall station, as drivers struggled to see ahead. The carriages were packed with hundreds of commuters
Pauline Cranmer of London Ambulance Service said: 'There were a number of injuries that would potentially be consistent with being hit by debris. Our primary concern is about treating the injuries.'
She added that two people were pronounced dead at the scene by air ambulance crews.
Mr Barnes was a former ski instructor who had worked for charter company RotorMotion since 1997. In a wide-ranging UK career spanning 18 years, he had done everything from fly air ambulances to working as a pilot on adverts, TV programmes and films
He contributed to filming for the BBC and Sky News, and worked on films such as Die Another Day, Tomb Raider II and Saving Private Ryan, as well as providing his services to adverts and sporting events, and has been described as one of the most experienced Agusta pilots in the UK.
Mr Barnes, a graduate of the University of Derby, claimed on his LinkedIn online profile to have 25 years of experience as a pilot, and said he had clocked up more than 10,500 hours of flying in a helicopter - as well as 500 hours flying a plane.
Pieces of the wreckage that fell from the sky: The damaged carbon fibre rotor can be seen laying mangled no the floor after the aircraft plummeted to the ground
Parts of the helicopter lay strewn across the road, as emergency services helped the injured and battled fierce fires that broke out in the area
Wide view: Emergency services at the scene after a helicopter collided with a crane attached to The Tower St George Wharf in Vauxhall
Salvage operation: Police divers assist air accident investigators to recover pieces of crane and helicopter rotor blade from sandbanks along the edge of the Thames
Famous friends: Formula One driver Louis Hamilton is seen with pilot Pete Barnes in front of a helicopter (left), while Mr Barnes is also pictured by himself (right)
PETE BARNES (1962-2013): ONE OF BRITAIN'S TOP HELICOPTER PILOTS
Pete Barnes was one of the UK's most experienced commercial helicopter pilots, having flown more than 10,500 hours over 25 years.
The 50-year-old was born in Nottingham in 1962, and went to public school Oakham followed by the University of Derby, where he studied business and marketing.
After graduating he worked as a ski instructor, then went into the advertising industry.
In 1989, he moved to Florida and gained a commercial helicopter licence, gaining the skills he would later deploy after joining the firm RotorMotion in 1997.
Mr Barnes worked as a freelance pilot for RotorMotion and other hire companies, flying air ambulances and working on TV and film sets.
He helped rescue a motorist from a flooded ford in 2004 while working for the Great North Air Ambulance.
In his showbusiness career he appeared in adverts, TV programmes and films such as Die Another Day, starring Pierce Brosnan (pictured above with Mr Barnes) as James Bond.
In 2004 he helped rescue a motorist from a flooded ford in County Durham, while working for the Great North Air Ambulance.
He also flew the Newcastle Traffic & Travel helicopter as the Voice of Metro FM and worked as a helicopter instructor.
Captain Philip Amadeus, managing director of RotorMotion, said the aircraft was on a commercial flight from Redhill, in Surrey, to Elstree.
He said: 'Our main priority now is for the family of the pilot and we extend our greatest sympathy to the friends and relatives of those who have died and been injured.'
One eyewitness said the helicopter was 'rocking and shaking from side to side' before crashing. A worker at the New Covent Garden Flower Market, around 200 yards from the crash site, said some debris from the crash - believed to be the gearbox - hit somebody working there in the leg.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution was searching the Thames as part of the emergency services' response to the accident. The charity launched an inshore lifeboat in the aftermath of the crash.
Adam Halawa described discovering how his brother had been taken to St Thomas' Hospital after the crash.
'I heard my brother was involved and got a call from another relative,' he told the BBC.
'I came rushing, panicking, I was really upset because I was scared in case my brother was inside the car with the fire.
'I came to him and he was in shock, he looked very scared. I was just worried about him.
'It just happened unexpectedly, you never expect something like that to happen to you and something like that to happen to my family.
'He is ok, he is just in shock. I just need to go in and speak to him.'
Terry Alkins, 28, and Joe O'Dwyer, 44, were working on an adjacent building site when the helicopter crashed into the crane.
Mr Alkins said: 'It was around 8am and we just heard this massive bang. We ran off the site and down the road and seconds later we saw the helicopter or what was left of it in flames lying on the road. From what I saw I will be amazed if the pilot survived. There were at least three cars on fire, including a silver Range Rover and there were some motorbikes strewn over the road.'
Mr O’Dywer added: ‘It was so foggy this morning that you couldn't see the crane, which is attached to the residential tower that's being built.’
The London Fire Brigade said it had received numerous calls about the incident. Eight fire engines and four fire rescue units and 88 firefighters plus officers attended the scene.
The London Ambulance Service sent a motorcycle responder, six ambulance crews, its hazardous area response team and two officers to the scene.
The first crew was at the area in less than four minutes. The air ambulance medical team were also dispatched in a car.
The incident happened close to the MI6 headquarters, which reportedly went into lockdown for a short period when the helicopter first crashed over fears the spy office may have been under attack.
Witness Robert Oxley told Sky News: ‘There’s a very low hanging cloud which means you can hardly see the top of the building and that would explain why the helicopter hit it.
'This is right next to Vauxhall Bus Station, which is a major commuting point. We arrived to find the area sealed off. Suddenly everyone was exiting their vehicles.'
Carnage: Debris lies on the ground after a helicopter crashed into a construction crane on top The Tower St George Wharf in central London
Mangled wreckage: The scene after a helicopter crashed into a construction crane on top of the St George Wharf tower building in Vauxhall, central London
Remains: The helicopter hit the crane before plunging into the road below during the morning rush hour in central London today
Smashed: London Fire Brigade handout photo (pixelated at source) of the scene in Vauxhall, central London after a helicopter crashed into a crane
HELICOPTERS CAN'T COME WITHIN 500FT OF HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS
Pilots flying helicopters over London are subject to air traffic control clearance.
If they are flying over central London they must have twin-engined aircraft.
Those flying one-engined aircraft must follow the route of the River Thames when operating in the capital.
All those flying helicopters in London would have to follow a set series of routes laid down by the Civil Aviation Authority.
And aviation expert Chris Yates said helicopters are not allowed to come within 500ft of 'any structure such as a high-rise building'.
Police said there was nothing to suggest a terrorism link to the crash. ‘There's nothing in our world at this stage,’ a spokesman for London's Counter Terrorism Command said. ‘There's nothing to suggest any terrorism link.’
Peter Cowup, assistant commissioner at London Fire Brigade, said: 'We're doing what we can to make that safe and working with specialist contractors to assess the damage sustained to the crane. At the moment there's no imminent risk of that crane collapsing.'
The crash happened close to the home of Gareth Thomas, the former Welsh rugby star who is now competing in Dancing on Ice.
He tweeted his shock at the collision: 'OMG!!! In car on way to skating and just hearing the helicopter has crashed metres from my home!! Hope everyone in the area is OK.'
Local resident Colin Kavanagh told MailOnline there was a 'huge explosion'. He was eating breakfast and looked out to see a huge plume of smoke and 'men in fluorescent jackets running around'.
Eyewitnesses took to Twitter to report details. One said the helicopter crashed close to a railway line.
Local resident Colin Kavanagh told MailOnline there was a 'huge explosion'. He was eating breakfast and looked out to see a huge plume of smoke and 'men in fluorescent jackets running around'.
Eyewitnesses took to Twitter to report details. One said the helicopter crashed close to a railway line.
Another user posted a dramatic photograph showing burning wreckage in the road. Commuter Sherna Noah described a ‘large plume of dark grey smoke’ as she crossed Battersea Bridge at 8am.
She said: ‘I was coming across the bridge and basically I could see a few cyclists on the bridge looking towards the water.
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Ablaze: These were the extraordinary scenes following the helicopter crash this morning in Vauxhall, central London
Road on fire: Emergency services were called to the scene near Battersea Bridge at Vauxhall, central London, after reports at 8am that the aircraft had hit a crane
Explosion: Witnesses reported very low cloud at the time of the accident, suggesting the pilot may not have seen the crane which was barely visible from street level
Flames: This is a grab from footage of a car on fire at the scene on Wandsworth Road following the helicopter crash in Vauxhall, central London, this morning
Scorched: London Fire Brigade handout photo of the scene in Vauxhall, central London, after a helicopter crashed into a crane
EYEWITNESS: HELICOPTER WAS SHAKING BEFORE IT HIT CRANE
Sharon Moore lives on an estate just yards from the crash scene.
The 36-year-old telephoned the emergency services having witnessed the crash with her eight year old daughter Tia at 7:55am.
She said: 'We looked up and we heard firstly the helicopter and one minute it was flying normally and the next it was being erratic.
'It was rocking and shaking from side to side and then it went straight into the arm of the crane. The helicopter just came spiralling down and then it hit at least one car that was driving towards Vauxhall.
'There were three loud bangs which just went "boom boom boom" and it looked as if another car was also on fire.'
'I looked over to see what they were looking at and could see a pall of grey smoke coming from the south side. You could see a large plume of dark grey smoke.’
Video footage shot on a mobile phone showed an entire road blocked by burning wreckage and aviation fuel.
The side of a building on one side of the street was also damaged by the flames.
Chris Yates, an independent aviation expert, told Sky News: 'Helicopters are not supposed to come within 500ft of any structure such as a high-rise building, so we don't know what caused the pilot to get quite so close.
'We don't know the circumstances he was operating in at the time - whether there was a problem with the helicopter itself, whether he misread his instructions or received false instructions from air traffic control.'
The aircraft is understood to be an AgustaWestland AW109, a lightweight, twin-engine helicopter with eight seats.
Passers-by stood watching as the wreckage burned.
A motorcycle was also lying on its side in the road having been abandoned. One eyewitness reported seeing cars on fire and hearing people screaming.
Jane Williams, of Clapham, south-west London, said: ‘I arrived at about 8:30am. We were ordered off the bus and had to wander around the streets.
'It was like some kind of war scene. I couldn’t see anything because there were so many fire engines – not that you’d want to see anything.
‘There were just hundreds of workers in high viz jackets leaving the building site. There were just so many people.
'We didn’t know what was happening at first but then it just filtered through and everyone was saying a helicopter had crashed.’
Location: This map shows the location of the tower which was hit by the helicopter on the south bank of the River Bank, next to Vauxhall Bridge
Mangled: The crane the helicopter crashed into at 8am at Vauxhall in central London. Both are pictures from today, with the right photo taken during a break in the cloud
Damage: This debris (left) was seen on the ground after the crash, and a member of the emergency services (right) was seen running towards the scene in London
As rush-hour traffic built up, the A3036 Wandsworth Road in Vauxhall was closed in both directions between Vauxhall Cross and the Lansdowne Way junction.
People took to Twitter to report gridlocked traffic in the area, with emergency services struggling to get through.
The First Capital Connect train company warned its passengers to expect travel difficulties in the Vauxhall area, although its services were not affected.
Flying conditions this morning were reflected in the fact that London City Airport in Docklands had delays due to poor visibility.
Paul Ferguson, who was working in an office near the incident, told BBC News: ‘There was a flash and the helicopter plunged to the ground. It exploded and you can imagine the smoke coming out of it.
‘It was probably heading from the nearby heliport. It may be that on this misty morning the lights on nearby St George's Tower weren't on and it moved and clipped the edge of the crane and lost control.’
Smash: A pall of smoke was visible near the River Thames in Vauxhall, London, amid reports that a helicopter has crashed
On location: Eyewitnesses took to Twitter to report details - and one user said it crashed close to a railway line
Scene: It's believed the helicopter, which hit the under-construction The Tower St George Wharf was carrying a pilot but no passengers
Response: London Fire Brigade said it had received numerous calls about the incident and firefighters were en route to the scene
AW109: TWIN-ENGINE HELICOPTER USED FOR EXECUTIVE TRANSPORT
The fallen helicopter is understood to be an AgustaWestland AW109 Power - described by its maker as a ‘versatile’ aircraft used in commercial and military markets.
The lightweight, twin-engine helicopter has eight seats and is used for executive transport, offshore and emergency medical services, as well as surveillance and patrol missions for police forces, its maker AgustaWestland says.
The aircraft is certified for single pilot use and is allowed to perform assisted take-offs from elevated helipads, that is, helipads raised from the ground. It has a large passenger cabin with two large rear windows.
With the rotors turning, the helicopter is 43ft long and 11ft high. Its maximum cruise speed is 177 miles per hour.
AgustaWestland is an Anglo-Italian multinational helicopter design and manufacturing company, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Finmeccanica.
The company has offices and plants worldwide, including its main UK office in Farnborough, Hampshire and a plant in Yeovil, Somerset.
Castle Air Charters, based in Liskeard, Cornwall, refused to comment on reports that the AgustaWestland helicopter is registered to the company. The firm specialises in chartered helicopter flights across the county and many of its aircraft are also use in London.
Eyewitness Chris Matthison told BBC News: ‘There was some damage to the crane. It's possible the crane is lying across Nine Elms road. The top of the nearest building is steeped in mist and difficult to see.’
He added: ‘I heard a very unusual dull thud, then there was silence. The silence really took my imagination. Emergency services responded very quickly.’
Transport for London said buses in the Vauxhall area were subject to diversion and delays due to the incident. People were advised to avoid the area and seek alternative routes.
Erin Rogers was waiting at a bus stop outside Vauxhall station. He told BBC News: ‘It was a bit surreal actually.
'I just had a coffee in my hand, I looked up, heard a bang and saw bits of crane debris falling to the floor.
‘Then the helicopter was in flames. The rest of the people at the bus station were looking on going "What was that?" It's something I will never forget for a long time.’
Network Rail said train services were not affected by the incident. Tube services were also running normally.
But road traffic quickly built up, with the A3205 Nine Elms Lane between Cringle Street and the A3036 Wandsworth Road being particularly badly affected. Sarah-Beth Casey lives in an apartment near the incident.
She told Sky News: ‘You're always worried about things like 9/11 and things like that. I have three small children with me in the flat. It's one of your fears that something like this can happen. When I heard the explosion - it was like a little earthquake.’
She went on: ‘It was like a gas explosion. I looked up to see debris falling off the tower. I can't see any people on the ground, it seems to be a lucky escape. The police and ambulance response was incredible.’
The A202 in Vauxhall was closed southbound between Vauxhall Cross and the A3212 at Millbank junction. Other congested stretches of road were the A202 Harleyford Road from A203 South Lambeth Road and the A203 South Lambeth Road.
South West Trains reported that Vauxhall main line station had been closed. Trains were running through the station but not picking up or dropping off passengers.
Matt Haverson was doing construction work on railway arches near the incident. He said there was a good ‘pull together’ with people attempting to extinguish small fires and escort other people away.
He told Sky News: ‘It was extremely scary... I obviously thought it was a terrorist attack.’
A spokesman for air traffic control company Nats said: 'Just before 8am today a helicopter crashed in central London close to Vauxhall Bridge.
Aircraft: This is the AgustaWestland AW109 that crashed today. This photo was taken when Stephen Fry and Ruby Wax took the helicopter on another day
Before the crash: This is the normal view of the under-construction The Tower St George Wharf in London
'Earlier in the helicopter's journey the pilot had been receiving an air traffic control service from Nats, although was not receiving a service at the time of the crash. The incident will be subject to an investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and Nats will assist any inquiry.'
A spokesman for Berkeley Group, which owns St George, the development company for the building, said in a statement: 'We can confirm a helicopter collided with a crane at St George Wharf at 8am this morning.
'Our thoughts at this time are with the friends and families of those killed in this tragic incident. Emergency services are on the scene and authorities are investigating the circumstances. We are offering our full support and assistance to the emergency services.'
'Fortunately for us we have done a full headcount and there are no injuries or fatalities among anyone on the site,' said Tony Pidgley, chairman of the tower's developer Berkeley Group. 'The crane driver normally starts at eight o'clock but unusually, today of all days, was late.'
He said it was too early to speculate on the cause of the crash but helicopters should normally fly 500ft above tall structures.
Paul Knightley, a forecaster at MeteoGroup, said London City Airport was reporting a cloudbase of 100ft at 8am. The top of the building would have been shrouded in cloud, he added.
There had been confusion over whether the lights had been functioning correctly, but it looks increasingly likely that they were obscured by the thick mist shrouding the tower.
TALLEST RESIDENTIAL BUILDING IN UK WITH £50MILLION PENTHOUSE
The Tower St George Wharf is a luxury development which is set to be the tallest residential building in the UK when it is completed later this year.
It will reach a height of close to 594ft (181m) over 50 storeys, with a total of 223 luxury homes.
Prices for smaller flats in building start from £700,000, while a three-bedroom apartment in the block will set you back £1.375million.
The tower's three-story penthouse suite is believed to be worth as much as £50million.
The building will boast a private spa, infinity pool, 24-hour security and a personal valet.
St George Wharf is part of a series of developments in the Vauxhall area which includes Battersea Power Station.
The tower is also around half a mile from the site of the new U.S. embassy in Nine Elms, currently being built at a cost of £620million.
Hundreds of embassy staff are expected to move to the area, where they will live in buildings such as St George Wharf.
The complex will be heavily guarded, with security features including a moat around the embassy buildings, amidst fears it could be a target for terrorists.
Cameron 'very saddened' by deaths in helicopter crash
Prime Minister David Cameron said the rules for helicopter flights over central London would need to be carefully looked at following today's fatal crash.
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, he also paid tribute to the ‘brave and professional’ response of the emergency services to the crash in Vauxhall, central London, after a commercial helicopter hit a crane on a high-rise building.
Questioned by Vauxhall MP Kate Hoey on the need to look, in the future, at helicopters flying through the capital in light of its changing skyline, with increasing numbers of skyscrapers, he agreed it was not a question for today but needed to be examined.
The Prime Minister told the Commons: ‘I think the point she makes about the rules for helicopter flights and indeed other flights over our capital city, I'm sure they will be looked at as part of the investigations that will take place.
‘She's right that it's not an issue for today, but inevitably it's something that has to be carefully looked at.’
Thoughts with the families : Prime Minister David Cameron (pictured left leaving 10 Downing Street today) was 'very saddened' by the deaths and injuries caused by the helicopter crash, and London Mayor Boris Johnson (pictured right in Vauxhall today) also expressed his condolences
He also praised the scores of firefighters, police and ambulance crews attended the accident, in which two people were killed and 12 were injured when the helicopter crashed down onto a street.
Mr Cameron told the Commons: ‘The whole House will wish to join with me in sending their thanks to the emergency services for their rapid and professional response to this situation.’
And he said: ‘I think everyone can see from the terrifying pictures on our televisions this morning, just how quickly the emergency services responded and how brave and how professional they were in the way they responded.’
Crash site: Wreckage at the scene in London after the helicopter came down
Earlier, Mr Cameron's official spokesman told a regular media briefing in Westminster: ‘The Prime Minister was very saddened to learn of the fatalities and injuries in this incident.’
He had been informed of the incident shortly after it happened, the spokesman said.
Asked whether the Prime Minister would order an investigation, the spokesman said the emergency services were taking the lead role in the initial response, and the usual investigations which take place after all such events will be undertaken.
The crash happened less than a mile down the River Thames from the Houses of Parliament and its aftermath was witnessed by a number of MPs.
Morecambe and Lunesdale MP David Morris, who has a London flat just yards from the crash site, said: ‘I was reading my science and technology papers at around 8am when I heard a loud bang. Initially I was not aware of what happened, then it became apparent that a helicopter had crashed around 100-150 yards away from my flat in Vauxhall.
‘This morning I am incredibly shaken. My thoughts are with those directly involved.’
Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan was walking towards Vauxhall when the accident happened. She told BBC News she realised something ‘dramatic’ had happened because of the thick black smoke.
‘Within a minute there were sirens, so you felt that the emergency services were immediately reacting, which was comforting. It is a terrible, unexpected tragedy. I wondered if it was a bomb explosion.’
London Mayor Boris Johnson praised the emergency services on an 'incredible performance' that was 'immensely reassuring', saying the first fire engine arrived within four minutes of the crash. He added: 'We're doing our best to ensure London is protected from aviation accidents of this kind.'
Mr Johnson went on: 'Our thoughts are very much with the deceased, their families and those who have been injured in this terrible accident. Clearly there will be questions in the course of the next few days and weeks about how it happened and what we can do to make sure it doesn’t happen again.’
The Mayor said lighting of cranes and tall buildings will be reviewed, but that it would be 'premature' to second guess the investigation into today's helicopter smash. 'It's a bit too early to draw conclusions from this accident about this or that tall building,' he stated.
'What is inevitable is that we'll want to review all our policies, we'll want to look at the way we illuminate tall buildings, the way cranes are illuminated, to make sure nothing went wrong in this case and make sure nothing goes wrong in the future.'
VIDEO FOOTAGE from moment after crash. 'Part of helicopter' hurled across road
VIDEO Emergency Services UPDATE. Confirmation of two deaths and injuries
VIDEO FROM THE SCENE. Key footage from crash scene spreads over social media
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2263213/39-year-old-Sutton-named-second-victim-London-helicopter-crash-police-chief-speaks-disbelief-accident-did-claim-lives.html#ixzz2IBBHgO35
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