Wiltshire Air Ambulance remains grounded after nearly five weeks as Bell – the aircraft manufacturer – has not been able to fix the fault, a source revealed to Wiltshire 999s.
It’s understood that the helicopter malfunctioned – spinning out of control at high speed – while the air crew were performing an engine maintenance check on 15 June.
A critical care medic, stood outside the aircraft while the checks were being carried out, luckily didn’t suffer any injuries despite nearly being hit by the aircraft.
A source within Wiltshire Air Ambulance has told Wiltshire 999s that ‘Bell have not been able to fix the problem’ and ‘the charity are doing everything they can to keep this out of the press’.
Since the incident, the charity have not been seen to inform their supporters that their aircraft is not flying. There is no mention of the ongoing fiasco on their social media or website.
It is not clear when the air ambulance will be able to fly again. For now, medics will respond to serious medical incidents by land, in rapid response vehicles (RRVs).
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