Midlands Air Ambulance helicopters grounded over technical scare
Midlands Air Ambulance helicopters have been grounded after a fault was found weeks after the tragic crash in Glasgow.
Three aircraft, used to ferry critically injured people to hospital as fast as possible, have been taken out of service after the technical problem was discovered.
They are the same make and model as the police helicopter that crashed onto the Clutha Vaults pub, killing nine people, at the end of November.
Bond Aviation Group, the supplier of EC135 helicopters for the Midlands and North West Air Ambulances, said it had found a fault with one of its aircraft in the North West and made the decision to ground all such helicopters until further notice.
North West Air Ambulance has also grounded its fleet.
Between them, Midlands Air Ambulance and North West Air Ambulance cover an area of more than 10,000 square miles and a population of 13 million people.
The Air Ambulance Service has offered two of its aircraft, the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) and Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA), to cover in the meantime.
Both use different the Augusta Westland 109 helicopters, which are different to the ones used in the Midlands.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said the decision was taken by Bond after a warning light came on in an aircraft in another part of the country.
Spokesman Suzie Fothergill said: "Clearly safety is our number one priority and will be guided by the operator of the aircraft.
"As a service we still have access to two air ambulances - those operated by Warwickshire and Northampton Air Ambulance and Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance so we have no concerns about patients being put at risk by this situation.
"In addition, the crews that would have been flying today will respond on land vehicles as they would if the weather had stopped the helicopters flying.
"We are hoping for an update later today on when the situation is likely to be resolved."
