Overview

• Police said three people died and one was seriously injured after the helicopter came down near the A3020 Shanklin Road, with a major-incident response briefly declared and roads closed.
• Northumbria Helicopters confirmed the aircraft was G-OCLV, a Robinson R44 II, operating a flying lesson that departed Sandown Airport at about 9am.
• The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has deployed inspectors and begun gathering evidence, with no cause determined at this stage.
• Two of the deceased have been identified by family fundraisers as Polish nationals Justyna Czoska and Wojtek Kowalkowski, with relatives seeking support for repatriation to Poland.
• An eyewitness reported the helicopter “spiralling” before impact, and media-cited tracking data suggests the aircraft reached roughly 800 feet before descending rapidly.