RAF Typhoon in near-miss with Norfolk rig helicopter

Two RAF Typhoons (similar to the one pictured) were on a training exercise over Norfolk

An RAF Typhoon jet flew 200ft (60m) underneath a helicopter on its way to a North Sea platform off the Norfolk coast in May, a report has revealed.

It happened at 12:07 BST on 13 May when the helicopter was flying towards the sea at 2,000 ft (615m) over Gimingham.

One of two high-speed jets passed directly under the helicopter.

An inquiry by the UK Airprox Board concluded carrying out manoeuvres close to a busy main helicopter route contributed to the "near-miss" event.

Air traffic control at Norwich had alerted the helicopter to the presence of two jets about five to seven miles (eight to 11km) away at 12:06 BST and the pilot reported seeing one.

Within a minute the second of the pair passed directly under the helicopter.

The two jets were carrying out a "simulated strafe attack" and had chosen a target that was outside their normal flying zone because of the weather.

The board inquiry concluded this was a poor choice as it meant the jets were operating in a busy helicopter route while relying on slow-updating air traffic information messages from the Swanwick centre in Hampshire.

It said, because of the relatively slow speed of computer updates and the distances involved, air traffic control's assessment that the helicopter and aircraft were separated by seven miles (11km) could have been "inaccurate".

This led to the near-miss event which was categorised at B risk level - A is the highest.