An Olympic Games hopeful was one of two pilots killed in the British Army helicopter crash in Derry, it emerged today.
Capt Andrew Nicoll (27), from Grantham in Lincolnshire, was piloting the Gazelle helicopter yesterday when it crashed near the City of Derry rugby club in the Gransha area.
The remains of the British Army Gazelle helicopter is investigated in
His co-pilot, Sergeant Simon Bennett (35), who was married with three children and from Telford in Shropshire, also died.
Both victims were members of 5 Regiment in the Army Air Corps and was serving with the Joint Helicopter Force based at RAF Aldergrove in County Antrim.
Lieut Col Duncan Venn, the commanding officer of 5 Regiment Army Air Corps, said: "Captain Andy Nicoll, the pilot, was a cheerful, well-liked, single officer, who only finished his pilot training in July."
"A talented sportsman and world-class canoeist, he was shortly to depart for Australia to continue his training in preparation for the 2004 Olympics.
"Their loss has caused great sadness throughout the regiment and our thoughts and prayers are with both families, to whom we extend our deepest sympathy."
Group Captain Martin Sharp described their deaths as a "terrible loss for family, friends and colleagues".
He added: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the relatives of both pilots. "The tragedy has touched colleagues right across Northern Ireland."
A military air accident investigation team from Wilton, near Salisbury, Wiltshire, was at the crash scene today to conduct an investigation.
PA News