Man killed in helicopter crash believed to be North Yorkshire Lord-Lieutenant

A pilot who died after a helicopter crash is believed to be Barry Dodd, the Lord-Lieutenant for North Yorkshire, police have said.

North Yorkshire Police said that although formal identification is yet to take place, Mr Dodd is believed to have died after the helicopter crashed into a field near Aldborough, Boroughbridge, at 1.23pm on Wednesday.

The force said: "Sadly, the pilot of the private aircraft ... was pronounced dead at the scene.

"Whilst we await formal identification, we believe he is Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for North Yorkshire, Mr Barry Dodd CBE.

"Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time."

The force said Mr Dodd's family were being supported by specially trained officers, and requested the family's privacy "at this very sad time".

North Yorkshire Police said officers remain at the scene with Civil Aviation Authority and Air Accidents Investigation Branch officials as investigations continue.

The cause of the crash is not yet known.

Speaking at the scene on Wednesday, Superintendent Dave Hannan, of North Yorkshire Police, confirmed there were no other people on board.

Mr Hannan said that when emergency services arrived at the scene, the helicopter was alight.

He added: "We are working with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and the Civil Aviation Authority to establish what the cause of that crash was.

"The emergency services (including) ourselves, the ambulance service and the fire service, all attended, as did the air ambulance."

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said on Twitter that a number of engines from Boroughbridge, Knaresborough, Harrogate and Ripon were sent to the incident, and hoses were used to "damp down the scene".

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