Image source, Echo/Solent News

Three people have died and a fourth remains in hospital in a serious condition after a helicopter crashed during a flying lesson on the Isle of Wight.

The helicopter came down in a field near Ventor just before 09:30 BST on Monday morning.

An investigation has been launched by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).

Isle of Wight East MP Joe Robertson described the crash as a tragedy and said the whole community is in shock.

We're now bringing our live coverage to a close, but we'll be sure to keep our news story up to date with any developments.

Joe Robertson, MP for Isle of Wight East, has described the crash as "a tragedy", saying the whole community is "in shock".

"My heart goes out to the family members of those who lost their lives," he tells the BBC.

"It’s tragic - a bank holiday, on what should have been a fun occasion, up in the air on this beautiful day, has ended in tragedy."

He expressed his "deepest condolences" to the bereaved.

Hampshire police has just confirmed that three people have died following the helicopter crash.

In a statement, the force says a fourth person who was on board is in hospital in a serious condition.

"At this time we are unable to provide further information about the people involved, as efforts continue to contact and support their families.

"We will not be commenting on the circumstances of the incident but continue to work alongside the Air Accident Investigation Branch," the statement adds.

Matt Spivey
Live page editor

We're continuing to receive updates after a helicopter crashed on the Isle of Wight this morning, here's the latest:

• Four people were on board a Robinson R44 II helicopter for flying lessons when it crashed into a field near Ventnor at just before 09:30
• One person has been airlifted to a hospital in Southampton for treatment, the conditions of the other three people on board is not yet known
• Shanklin Town Council say they were "shocked to hear about the incident involving a pleasure flight helicopter crash landing on the outskirts of the town"
• Emergency services have been at the scene and cordons are in place around the crash site, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirm they are no longer treating the crash as a major incident
• The Air Accident Investigation Branch has launched an investigation into the crash

Stay with us for the latest developments.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has issued a new statement confirming the force is no longer treating the crash as a major incident.

The statement goes on to say the A3020 Shanklin Road is still closed due to the number of emergency services vehicles at the scene, and advises avoiding the area.

"A major incident was called at 9.47am to support the co-ordination of the emergency response, but this has since been stood down.

"There has been a multi-agency response to the scene, including colleagues from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, and the Air Accident Investigation Branch," the statement concludes.

Anjana Gadgil
Reporting from the Isle of Wight

I’ve just speaking to the Isle of Wight East MP Joe Robertson who’s described today’s events as a "tragedy".

We met at Bembridge Airport, one of the many airfields on the Isle Of Wight for small planes and helicopters to take off and land.

Robertson said it should have been a fun morning out for the people on board, but it turned out to be a terrible, tragic day instead.

He says the community here on the island is in shock and ready to rally around the families of those involved. He praised the actions of the emergency services working in a challenging and rural location.

In the last few moments, operator Northumbria Helicopters has confirmed four people were on aircraft G-OCLV involved in the crash.

"The flight, which departed from Sandown Airport at approximately 09:00 was carrying four passengers on board including the pilot, and was undertaking a flying lesson," the company based at Newcastle International Airport said in a statement.

It said it was giving its ''full cooperation'' to the authorities and will release further information in due course.

Of the four people onboard, one person was airlifted to hospital in Southampton this morning.

We can now bring you more images of the cordon around the crash site in a farmer's field.

Katharine Da Costa
BBC News

We've just seen a statement from Shanklin Town Council following the helicopter crash this morning which happened near to the town.

The statement reads:

Shanklin Town Council was shocked to hear about the incident involving a pleasure flight helicopter crash landing on the outskirts of the town.

This bank holiday, as well as hosting the scooter rally on the island, has many organised events that run from Sandown airport.

One of those is the regular flights that give visitors the ability to view the coastline from the air.

This is a tragic accident and the pilot deserves huge credit for bringing down the helicopter in a field away from any built up areas.

Our thoughts and prays are with the individuals involved as well as their immediate families, not forgetting the quick action and professionalism of our emergency services.

Anjana Gadgil
Reporting from the Isle of Wight

I’m standing in the field across from the crash site and can see the police cars parked in the road where the accident took place.

It’s a rural area with tall hedges lining each side of the narrow winding roads.

The whole area has been cordoned off including the many bridleways and footpaths that crisscross the fields and hill.

Matt Spivey
Live page editor

In the hours since the helicopter crash on the Isle of Wight, there has been a flurry of updates.

One person has been airlifted to hospital after the helicopter came down in a rural part of the island, near Ventnor in the south.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has launched an investigation into the crash, as emergency services - including the police, fire service and air ambulance - remain at the scene this afternoon.

A local MP has urged residents and tourists to avoid the crash site, which he says is "surrounded by fields" and is not very populated.

And, we've heard from an eyewitness, Leigh Goldsmith, who described seeing the helicopter "spiralling" before vanishing from her view.

Meanwhile, holiday park manager Fleur Sanders tells us her guests have been facing chaos as roads remain closed following the crash.

Freya Scott-Turner
Live reporter

"It's been a bit chaotic" says Fleur Sanders, who runs Appuldurcombe Gardens Holiday Park in Wroxall, Ventnor, near to the crash site.

Her guests are struggling to make it to their holiday park accommodation in the aftermath of the crash. "They've closed off all the roads at the moment" she says.

On the Isle of Wight, it's the height of the busy summer season for the holiday park. Fleur tells me she's "got guests that can't get access... there's a long diversion, tourists and motor homes are trying to come in".

They're still waiting for an update from authorities on when the roads might reopen.

Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight East Joe Robertson tells BBC Radio 5 Live he is encouraging residents and tourists to avoid the site of the crash.

"Where the helicopter came down is fairly rural," Robertson says. "It's surrounded by fields and a road that runs from Shanklin and Sandown, which are on the east, quite well-known for their beaches, through to Ventnor in the south, which is part of the rocky part of south of the island.

"It is not in a very populated area, albeit it seems to be fairly close to a road that runs between two towns.”

A team has been deployed to investigate the crash, says the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

A spokesperson for the agency - which is part of the Department for Transport - says that the "AAIB was notified of an accident involving a light helicopter on the Isle of Wight this morning".

They go on to say that "we are deploying a team to commence an investigation".

Images from the crash site on the Isle of Wight show a number of ambulances, fire engines and police cars parked up along Shanklin Road.

The rotors of the crashed helicopter appear to be poking out from the field.

Another angle shows a yellow Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance stationed in the field as emergency crews work continue to work at the scene.

As a reminder, we've heard from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, external, the Air Ambulance, external and the Fire and Rescue service.

Image source, Echo / Solent

Image source, Echo / Solent

We're continuing to bring you details on a helicopter crash on the Isle of Wight, but let's get you up to speed on what you need to know:

What we know

• One person has been airlifted to a hospital in Southampton after a helicopter crashed in a field on the Isle of Wight
• The helicopter crash site is a field, near the A3020 Shanklin Road on the Isle of Wight, and just a few miles from the seaside towns of Shanklin and Ventnor
• An eyewitness say they saw it "spiralling" before it disappeared into a hedge
• Emergency services, including a doctor, specialist paramedic, police and firefighters are working at the scene

What we don't know

• How many people were on board the helicopter
• What caused the helicopter to crash
• If there are any casualties

The Isle of Wight is an island located just off the coast of Southampton, Gosport and Portsmouth, in the south of England.

The island is 146 square miles (380 sq kms) in size and has a population of just over 140,000 people, according to the 2021 census.

Emergency services say the helicopter has crashed in a field near Ventnor, in the southern part of the island.

According to police Shanklin Road on the Isle of Wight is currently closed and officers have urged people to avoid the area.

The road is about 2.9 miles (4.66km) from the seaside town of Shanklin and 3.6 miles (5.79km) from Ventnor.

One patient has been treated and airlifted to the major trauma centre at University Hospital Southampton, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance say in a statement.

No further details have been given on the condition of the patient.

There's been a flurry of updates from emergency services, the latest is from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.

A spokeswoman says that: "Firefighters from Newport, Ventnor and Shanklin were called out shortly before 09.30am on Monday, 25 August, following reports of a light aircraft incident near Shanklin Road".

We're now hearing from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

A spokesperson confirms that their "dispatchers deployed the air ambulance at 09:28 to an incident near Ventnor on the Isle of Wight today".

They go on to say that: "The critical care team consisting of a doctor and a specialist paramedic are on scene working alongside our emergency service colleagues."