London: Nigel Farage, the UK Independence
Party leader, contesting against House of Commons` Speaker
John Bercow in Buckingham, was injured when his light aircraft
crashed Thursday while campaigning.
Farage was taken to hospital with non life-threatening
injuries following the crash of his two-seater aircraft at
Hinton-in-the-Hedge airfield, near Brackley in
Northamptonshire.
Britons are voting in the most-keenly fought general
elections. Farage is contesting against Bercow in Buckingham
in today`s elections.
Witnesses saw him walking out of the aircraft
covered in blood. His agent, Chris Adams, said: "Farage has
been drifting in and out of consciousness and is now being
X-rayed. Nigel was unconscious but he can talk."
The light aircraft was pulling a UKIP banner and it
is believed it may have been caught up in the engine. The
banner carried the slogan "Vote for your country-Vote UKIP".
Police said the plane went down just after 8am, also
injuring the pilot, who reportedly had to be cut out the
cockpit and was taken to Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry.
The pilot was seriously hurt with back injuries.
Farage was taken to Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
A UKIP spokesman said: "We`ve had unconfirmed reports
that either the banner got snagged up or there were
cross-winds and it was unfamiliar airfield to the pilot, who
had to be cut out of the plane.
"UKIP is sure that everybody involved in today`s
General Election will join us in hoping and praying that the
pilot recovers from his injuries as soon as possible."
Farage suffered "minor head injuries" but
campaigners had been told to "carry on", he said.
The aircraft was believed to be a 1960s-style biplane
which left the Winchester area early today and flew into
Hinton.
The accident happened as it was taking off again
from Hinton, the spokesman said.
A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: "Just after
8am a two-seater light aircraft came down at Hinton in the
Hedges airfield near Brackley in Northamptonshire.
"Two people were on board the aircraft, pilot and
passenger, and both suffered what are believed to be minor
injuries."
The plane was due to fly over the counties of
Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Northamptionshire. The crash
is being investigated by the Air Accidents Investigation
Branch supported by Northamptonshire Police.
TV footage showed extensive wreckage to the fixed
wing plane which lay upsidedown in field 20m from the
airstrip.
PTI
