Air ambulance grounded in Ascot

The Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance was temporarily grounded in Ascot due to a technical failure after landing in sports fields to treat a patient. The helicopter, which covers Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire was able to take off the next day.

A statement issued by TVACAA said: “Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance can confirm that on Friday 12 April it was discovered, that shortly after landing in the Charters School sports fields to attend a sporting injury, the Helicopter main rotor blades had potentially made contact with some cable from a sports net. No patients were on board at the time.

“The patient in Ascot was conveyed by land ambulance to Frimley Park Hospital. The grounding of the helicopter has had no detrimental effect to the treatment of the patient, as there was no break in the continuity of care they received.

“A thorough engineering inspection of the air craft was carried out overnight in accordance with Bond Air Services procedures, suppliers of the aircraft to the charity. The helicopter was confirmed as fully operational and returned to active service this morning.

“Air Ambulance HBOB and the crew have been flying today attending incidents across the three counties its serves, including a major trauma in Oxfordshire this afternoon.”