An 87-year-old woman has died after being blown over by a helicopter landing at a hospital, police have confirmed. Devon and Cornwall police said two people were thought to have been injured as the helicopter landed at a helipad at Derriford hospital in Plymouth on Friday.
Another woman, who is also believed to be in her 80s, is in hospital with a broken pelvis after her car door was blown shut in the incident, the police force also said. Police said they were investigating the circumstances that led to the incident.
DI Andy Hodges said: “It is currently believed that at around 11.20am on Friday 4 March, a HM Coastguard helicopter was landing at the helipad in Derriford. The helicopter was carrying a casualty linked to a separate job earlier that morning.
“Whilst the helicopter was in the process of landing on the helipad, the downdraft caused one member of the public, an 87-year-old woman from the Plymouth area who was on a nearby footpath, to be blown over.”
The force confirmed that the woman sustained a “serious head injury” and later died in hospital.
“This is a tragic incident, and our thoughts go out to all affected by what took place yesterday,” Hodges added.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “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.”
HM Coastguard has been contacted for comment.
