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Thursday, May 06, 2010

Ukip plane crash leaves ex-leader Nigel Farage in hospital

Anti-EU party's candidate in Buckingham injured along with pilot after aircraft gets tangled in campaign banner it was towing


Owen Bowcott
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 6 May 2010 19.45 BST
Article history

The Polish-built light plane that crashed with Ukip MEP and UK election candidate Nigel Farage on board. Photograph: Darren Staples/Reuters

The former leader of the UK Independence party, Nigel Farage, was being treated for head and chest injuries tonightafter a light aircraft in which he was flying for an election day stunt nosedived into the ground, crushing the cockpit.

The MEP, who is standing for parliament in Buckingham against the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, was pulled out of the wreckage, his face bloodied and badly bruised. As soon as he was freed, he asked for his mobile phone and lit a cigarette, witnesses said.

Although "in and out of consciousness" after the crash, his condition was said to be "not life-threatening". He was initially taken to Horton General hospital in Banbury but later transferred to John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford after complaining of chest and midriff pains.

In a statement by his spokesman, Duncan Barkes, Farage said of the crash, which also injured the pilot, Justin Adams: "We've both had a miraculous escape. We are both very lucky to be alive."

A hospital spokeswoman said Farage was likely to remain "for a few days".

Barkes added: "He is not going anywhere today. There is no way he will be at the count tomorrow. He's got two broken ribs, a small chip to his spine and damage to his sternum." The pilot, who had to be cut from the wreckage, is in a stable condition in hospital, Barkes said.

The plane crashed at 8am today beside Hinton-in-the-Hedges airfield in Northamptonshire. Ukip's chief spokesman had climbed into the Polish-manufactured PZL-104 Wilga 35A fixed-wing aircraft for a flypast.

The plane was towing a banner with the slogan "Vote for your country – vote Ukip'. It had completed several low passes for photographers. On its last turn the banner appeared to get tangled in the tail fin and the aircraft – 10 metres (30 ft) up – turned over and plunged into the ground.

Neil Hall, a photographer for the INS agency in Reading who had been asked by the MEP to capture the stunt, said: "One minute [the aircraft] was in the air, the next it was a cloud of dust. It simply nosedived without any warning.

"It looked like the front of the plane had completely flattened. I could see Nigel's leg sticking out, and feared he was dead.

"Then I heard him moaning saying 'Get me out', 'Get me out'. With the help of a passing cyclist, we managed to pull Nigel out. Blood was pouring from his mouth. He was dazed and confused."

The pilot could not be freed immediately but used his mobile phone to talk to the emergency services. He was airlifted to Walsgrave hospital in Coventry and later transferred to London.

The crash is being investigated by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, supported by Northamptonshire police; there was no suggestion of sabotage.

Farage's campaign manager, Chris Adams, confirmed that the MEP had injured his face and ribs. "Nigel was unconscious but he can talk," he said. "He's been coming in and out of consciousness and is being x-rayed."

A spokeswoman for John Radcliffe hospital said Farage would be kept in overnight. "He will be with us for a few days."

If all had gone according to plan, Farage, after alighting from the plane, would have spent a "relaxing day" visiting polling stations in the constituency.

The aircraft had been hired to fly over Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire promoting Ukip.

The anti-EU campaigner stood down as party leader last September in order to concentrate on his parliamentary election battle. Farage defied the political convention by which the main parties do not contest the seat held by the Speaker.

Farage said his decision to launch the challenge was in protest at Westminster's handling of the MPs' expenses scandal. The former Tory MEP John Stevens is also standing and has attracted the support of the former independent MP Martin Bell.
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