Mournes Helicopter Crash Shocks Prince

Just 24 hours after the Queen flew out of NI after her two-day visit last week, a helicopter crash has brought tragedy close to the royal family.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, and the princes William and Harry have been said by Clarence House to be "shocked and deeply saddened" by news of the crash in which one of victims was a personal friend of Prince Charles.

Those who died were from southeast England and included the pilot and two passengers. The men were in Northern Ireland for a day of shooting.

Charles Stisted was Chief Executive of the exclusive Guards Polo Club in Windsor and was known to the prince, the Duchess of Cornwall and Princes William and Harry.

Mr Stisted, 47, was one of three people killed when a helicopter came down in a remote site in the Mountains of Mourne in Co Down.

A Clarence House spokeswoman said: "The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Prince Harry are all shocked and deeply saddened by this terrible tragedy. Their Royal Highnesses' thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed at this dreadful time."

The Agusta helicopter was travelling from St Angelo airport in Co Fermanagh after refuelling following a hunting trip in Co Tyrone when the aircraft crashed at around 4pm on Saturday at the mountainous Leitrim Lodge Picnic area near Hilltown.

A member of the public reported seeing an aircraft in distress, but it quickly became clear that no one had survived the impact.

The other passenger was Ian Wooldridge, who was also a Guards Polo Club member was thought to have been a prominent figure in Harcourt Developments, the Dublin based company.

The pilot - who also died - hasn't yet been named as the probe continues into the accident.

(BMcC/GK)