Doncaster helicopter crash prompts road closures, emergency response

A helicopter crashed into a field on the outskirts of Doncaster on Thursday morning, prompting a large emergency response and road closures. South Yorkshire Police said they were called at 10.14 a.m. to reports that a helicopter had come down in a field off Ings Lane in Bentley, near an industrial estate and a food waste recycling facility.

Emergency vehicles from police, fire and ambulance services were at the scene within minutes, with witnesses reporting around 30 response vehicles and crews establishing a cordon around the crash site. Ings Lane has been closed while officers and emergency services respond, and police advised members of the public to "please avoid the area and plan an alternative route where possible."

The aircraft is believed to have been a privately operated Robinson R44 Raven II, a four-seat light helicopter, which is understood to have taken off from Gamston Airport near Retford at about 10.00 a.m. according to local reports. Multiple accounts indicate the helicopter came down only minutes after departure and that wreckage and debris were scattered across the field close to nearby factories.

The number of people on board and the condition of any occupants...