FOUR people including Northern Ireland businessman Edward Haughey, have been killed after a helicopter crashed in thick fog at a small village on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.
Mr Haughey, who later became Lord Ballyedmond, was once Northern Ireland's richest man and was chairman of Norbrook, the largest privately owned pharmaceutical company in the world.
Police were called to the incident at the village of Gillingham, near Beccles, at about 7.30pm last night.
The privately owned helicopter was reportedly travelling to Northern Ireland, and it crashed near a stately home owned by Mr Haughey.
This morning there were unconfirmed reports that another person killed in the helicopter was a young man from Mayobridge in Co Down, close to Newry where Norbrook is based.
Mr Haughey was a former member of the Seanad having been appointed by former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
He was made a life peer as Baron Ballyedmond of Mourne in 2004.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said a team will be sent to investigate the crash, a spokesman said.
Norfolk Police said the crash site will remain cordoned off today while officers continue a forensic examination of the scene. Roads in the area have been closed.
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