Three people suffered minor injuries today after a helicopter crashed close to a school in Co Meath.
The pilot, who was the sole occupant, managed to escape from the aircraft before it burst into flames shortly after it came down next to the old Neptune Hotel, near the beach in Bettystown.
Three units of the Drogheda Fire Brigade eventually brought the blaze under control. Two other people suffered minor injuries after being hit by flying debris.
It is understood the helicopter had landed at the nearby beach and let a passenger out but took off shortly afterwards.
The caretaker of the Colaiste na hInse school based in the Neptune Hotel said he saw the pilot climb out of the crashed helicopter and stumble away from it.
“He seemed to be alright, he was walking. He told me there was no-one on board but that there was fuel everywhere” said Brian Emmett.
Mr Emmett also rushed to help a female motorist parked about 20 feet away from the wreckage.
“She had blood on her and I told her to get out of the car because there was fuel lashing out,” he said.
Mr Emmett said he heard the crash while he was locking up the school shortly after 4.30pm.
“I was inside the school and I could hear things hitting the building. I thought the helicopter had flown too close to the school and had blown rubbish around but then I heard a crash.
"I ran out and saw the helicopter at the far end of the car park on the roadside. There was smoke coming from it.”
Cllr Patrick Boshell, who runs a supermarket in Bettystown, said gardaí sealed off the centre of the village very quickly after the crash. "It is all cordoned off. Nobody is being allowed in or out,” he said.
Jurgen Whyte, chief investigator with the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU), said a team of three people was on site investigating the crash.
“We just know that the helicopter would appear to have been landing and it was just touching down and it would appear to have gone out of control.
“It’s early days yet. One person was on board. That person was slightly injured and two locals were hit with flying debris.”