Navy flier killed at race track

A 32-YEAR-OLD Royal Navy serviceman was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after a fellow navy helicopter crewman was killed in an accident on Silverstone motor-racing circuit, writes Mark Rowe.

The accident at the circuit, which today is the venue for the British Grand Prix, happened late on Friday night when a T-registration MGF sports car drove on to the track, then spun off and overturned between Vale and Club corners.

Three men including the driver, all navy servicemen from Helston in Cornwall, crawled free but a fourth man was trapped and later pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination revealed he died of asphyxia due to crushing injuries.

The four men were crammed into the little sports car capable of travelling from 0-60mph in just seven seconds. Two passersby saw the crash and alerted the emergency services. A first aid unit from the circuit arrived within three minutes.

The three survivors were treated at Northampton General Hospital for minor injuries before being released. The driver of the MGF was then arrested and taken to Daventry police station for questioning. He was released yesterday on police bail, pending further investigations. No date has been set for his reappearance.

Naomi Cooper, of Northants Police, said inquiries were still being carried out to determine how the car had been able to get on to the track despite 24-hour security at the circuit.

She added: "At this stage that question now forms part of a criminal investigation and is being looked into."

A spokeswoman for RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall, said that the dead man was 35, from Wiltshire, and had been based at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset. She said the three surviving men were stationed at Culdrose, where they crewed a Royal Navy Sea King search-and-rescue helicopter. They were at Silverstone in a private capacity.