Colin Mcrae Feared Dead!

[RedLexus]

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Crash Helicopter Registered To McRae

Updated: 20:40, Saturday September 15, 2007

A helicopter that crashed in rural Scotland today was registered to rally driver Colin McRae, it has been revealed.

Strathclyde Police said there were no survivors after the aircraft came down near Lanark this afternoon.

Rally driver Colin McRae

Rally driver Colin McRae

It is not known whether the former world rally champion, who has a pilot's licence, was on board.

Police have said extensive damage was done to the twin squirrel helicopter and they were not immediately able to confirm how many people had been travelling in the craft.

There will be no formal identification of any victims this evening.

The air accident investigation team are en route to establish the cause of the crash.

The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed that its own helicopter was despatched to the scene along with three ambulance crews and units from Strathclyde Fire Brigade.

Sky Correspondent James Matthews said: "My understanding is that the helicopter involved is registered to Colin McRae, the former world rally champion former world rally champion.

"He lives on an estate where this crash took place, the Jervis Wood estate just outside Lanark in the central belt of Scotland.

"All police will say it that they are in touch with the family to try to establish the identity of those on board the helicopter."

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[RedLexus]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,70131-1284278,00.html

[Rsarin]

very sad.alot of fans will be very upset.Feel worst for his wife.

[TigerFish]

Bad news :(

[sparkystav]

Apparently it's been confirmed on The Times website, Colin and his Son were onboard.

This is a terrible loss.

Feel for his family and friends.

Stav

[RedLexus]

heard that too , plus a neighbour and his son. :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad:

Ablack day for rally , and motorsport fans.

[RedLexus]

Rally champion Colin McRae dies with son in helicopter crash

Tom Gordon for The Sunday Times

THE former rally driving champion Colin McRae was killed and his five year-old son feared dead in a helicopter crash yesterday afternoon. The aircraft came down in Jerviswood, Lanarkshire, half a mile from the family's home and burst into flames just after 4pm.

Jean-Eric Freudiger, McRae's agent, said the 39-year-old driver had been piloting the helicopter himself. Also on board were believed to be his son Johnny, another adult and another child. Police said there were no survivors.

McRae's wife Alison and their daughter Hollie, 9, were not on board, friends said.

McRae became Britain's first World Rally champion in 1995. He was one of the country's most successful sportsmen, achieving 25 wins in World Rally events and 42 podium places. He was a flamboyant driver, inspiring one the world's best-selling computer rally games.

Related Links

* Legend of the road

* The people’s champion

The helicopter came down within half a mile of McRae's home, Jervis House, a 16th-century tower house, which has an adjacent helipad. The weather had been overcast, with a light breeze, but visibility was good.

Strathclyde police said the extent of the fire damage was making identification a problem.

McRae's wife, a childhood sweetheart and his former co-driver, was taken back to the house under police escort shortly after 6pm. She looked calm, but neighbours gathering outside the house looked shaken with grief.

McRae's friend the rally journalist Jeremy Hart who flew with the champion several times described him as a "very good, very measured pilot whose natural ability with machinery was second to none". "Colin regularly flew all over the UK and into Europe," said Hart. "He knew the terrain and conditions at Jerviswood very well. It was the place he flew into most regularly.

"As a driver Colin was misunderstood slightly as being reckless but everything you saw with him came from pure raw talent as opposed to being learnt. He was the Michael Schumacher of rally driving.

"It's so ironic that he should die in a helicopter crash when he had competed and had brushed with death so many times as a rally driver."

Additional reporting: Paul Lamarra

[mudzs]

.very sad indeed .

[Unregistered_User]

I was completely shocked and awe-struck to hear about this in the early hours. He was an idol to many budding enthusiasts and up and coming Rally Drivers. His pass will sadden many people - myself included. It is astonishing though that a driver such as Colin McCrae was involved in such a high adrenaline and dangerous sport yet this was not the cause of his passing.

Thoughts go to his family and friends of those involved in this terrible accident.

Regards,

Jamie

[Bob King]

Very sad day for rallying and motor sport ....... Colin i hope you can compete with that great collection of motor sport stars in the sky .

[Parthiban]

OMG I heard this and couldn't believe - truly a sad day for motorsport, a loss of one of the greats :(

My best wishes go out to his family and friends

[Monster-Mat]

terrible news, first Richard Burns, now Colin, was a great driver

[TUFF1]

Sad news this is another great driver will be missed, my condolences goes out to his family :(

[DJ Wozza]

Tragic news.

[Paul-J]

Terrible news, a tragic loss for the world of motorsport. First Richard burns and now Colin!

[Kazi]

Wounded! Best wishes to his family and friends.

[sparkystav]

And now this: BBC News

Bit freaky

Stav

[Anees]

RIP :(

A tragic loss......

[P4UL T]

OMG< this is the first I have heard of this, cant belive it

[Steve ( West Mids )]

RIP Colin and your son Johnny.

[Noel]

So sad.... :(

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Very sad, especially someone so good and passionate about what he did. A real driver...to be sorely missed!

[johnboy]

A loss to motor sport and of course his family.

My condolencies go out to family and friends