Tributes have been paid by the family of a grandmother who died when she was "blown over" by a helicopter landing.
Jean Langan, 87, died on Friday, March 4 after the coastguard aircraft landed at a helipad at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed the helicopter was flying a patient in for treatment at the time of the tragic incident, reports PlymouthLive.
Gael Hill, Jean's niece, told The Sun that her aunt was "blown off her feet" by the helicopter as she walked through a car park near the hospital's helipad on Friday. Gael was taking her aunt to a hospital appointment when the tragedy occurred where the family believe the downdraft from the helicopter caused both of them to fall to the ground.
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Jean's grieving niece stated she was with her "before, during and after" the horror ordeal yesterday. Gael said she herself wasn't severely injured, with "just has various aches and pains" this morning. Jean's family said on Saturday she will be "fondly remembered" and leave a "large hole" in their lives.
Gael Hill, who Jean lived with for over a decade, said: "Despite her age, Jean was very physically active, she would walk for miles, she liked to keep busy. She was a loving mother of one son and four grandchildren, who she cherished.
"She had many nieces and nephews and she had a very generous nature. Jean lived with me and had done so for the past 10 years or more, she loved seeing my children and grandchildren when they visited, it gave her great pleasure to interact with the little ones.
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"She will leave a large hole in our family and will be very sadly missed and fondly remembered."
Michael Hill, Jean's great-nephew also said: “I’m just shocked. We want the hospital and the coastguard to be held accountable.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson added: "Our deepest sympathies go out to those affected by the incident at Derriford Hospital. It would be inappropriate to comment while the incident is investigated by Devon and Cornwall Police and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch."
A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said an HM Coastguard helicopter was flying a patient to Derriford Hospital and "as it landed, there was an incident which is now being investigated by the police and Air Accidents Investigation Branch."
Devon and Cornwall Police said the family have been informed of the tragedy and the force is conducting an investigation assisted by other agencies. The helipad was laid in 2015 after concerns over Devon and Cornwall's air ambulances' ability to land around the clock on what was previously a flat, unlit patch of grass.
The project cost £1.75 million and took approximately seven months to build. This meant not only could the air ambulances land on site but also the larger and heavier search and rescue helicopters, such as ones used by the military and HM Coastguard.
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Prior to the installation of the new landing pad, helicopters had to land at nearby Marjon or even Plymouth Airport, with patients then being transferred to hospital by land ambulance. In 2015 it was reported that Derriford Hospital took about 400 patients per year as emergencies needing transfer by air.
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