Britons die in helicopter crash

Two Britons have been killed in a helicopter crash on the Mediterranean island of Majorca, the Foreign Office said.

A spokesman said: "We can confirm the deaths of two British nationals in a helicopter crash in Majorca on November 12. We are providing consular assistance to the families."

Television pictures showed smoke rising from the wreckage in woodland in Coll de Sa Gramola on the Balearic island.

The two Britons, both men, were killed instantly when the aircraft plummeted to the ground after bursting into flames in the air, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Jose Luis Montoya, a spokesman for Majorca's Emergency Services, told the newspaper: "We received several calls at around 11.10am from witnesses saying they had seen a helicopter crash down in flames in a wooded area. Firefighters, paramedics and police officers were immediately sent to the scene but unfortunately the two men were dead when they were found.

"The British Consul has been informed and is making steps to identify the dead men and contact their families. At the moment we have no further details on the dead men. We don't know if they were residents on the island or holidaymakers."

Coll de Sa Gramola is in the island's south-west near the town of Andratx. The downed helicopter caused a small forest fire, destroying a quarter of an acre before it was extinguished, it was reported.

The aircraft was said to be owned by Sloane Helicopters but the company denied that.

Its spokesman told the newspaper: "The helicopter is privately owned by a British man who we happen to know. We do know the pilot, and his helicopter was being kept in our hangar but there is no further connection.

"He is a middle-aged married man with a daughter in her late 20s. He lives in the UK but was on holiday in Majorca and was taking a male friend up this morning when the accident happened. Exactly what happened we do not know. Our thoughts go out to his family at this terrible time."