London: Four people have been killed in a mid-air collision between a light Cessna aircraft and a helicopter in south-east England.

Local daily 'London Evening Standard' quoted Thames Valley Police superintendent Rebecca Mears confirming the death toll in yesterday's incident. Police officers at the crash site in the village of Waddesdon near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire are yet to identify the deceased. "We are aware of a number of casualties following an incident this afternoon in Waddesdon, Aylesbury… Fire and ambulance services are also in attendance and preservation of life is first priority," a spokesperson said. Both aircraft came from Wycombe Air Park, also known as Booker Airfield, near High Wycombe, which offers flight training.

A spokesperson for the airstrip said, "Wycombe Air Park can confirm that at 12 pm (local time) today we were informed of an incident north-west of Aylesbury involving two aircraft from Wycombe Air Park". The site of the crash is close to the Royal Air Force (RAF) base of Halton, which has since confirmed that no military aircraft had been involved in the collision.

The local Bucks Fire and Rescue teams remain in attendance, having sent seven vehicles including urban search and rescue. Police and the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said they have launched a joint investigation to establish the cause of the collision. "There have been a number of casualties at the scene, but at this stage this is all we are able to confirm," South Central Ambulance Service said.

Mitch Missen, an off-duty firefighter, witnessed the crash from his garden. "I looked up and saw as both collided in mid-air, followed by a large bang and falling debris," said Missen. "I rushed in to get my car keys and en route called the emergency services, who I continued to give updates as to its whereabouts," he said.

PTI