THIS is the moment a police helicopter pursues a man on an allegedly stolen motorbike while flying just feet above the ground.
Footage shows the chopper circling above the rider as he drives at speed around a field near St Helens, Merseyside.
TiktokCHOPPER CHASE Shocking moment helicopter swoops on extremely dangerous speeding biker just feet above the ground[/caption]
TiktokCHOPPER CHASE Shocking moment helicopter swoops on extremely dangerous speeding biker just feet above the ground[/caption]
The pilot then lowers the helicopter just metres above the ground, in a desperate attempt to keep up with the fleeing motorcyclist.
At one point the dark blue and yellow coloured helicopter is seen to be flying almost parallel alongside the bike.
Moments later, both helicopter and motorbike disappear from the view of the camera behind a small patch of trees.
The chopper flies so low past the outcropping of trees it becomes obscured by the foliage.
The shocking video comes to an end but not before it cuts to a shot of a police officer in the field with the chopper heard circling overhead.
Another cut shows the speeding motorcyclist flying past the camera one last time.
Blitzing through the field at high speeds the rider passes just meters away from the cameraman in a final bid to lose the pursuing helicopter.
The helicopter appears to have stayed on the rider’s tail the whole time however and is seen flying overhead in a final cut.
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) said the high octane chase happened on August 13.
The incident is being reviewed internally in consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority.
Merseyside Police said the bike was driving in an “extremely dangerous” manner.
The rider is alleged to have been speeding, mounting pavements and nearly hitting a pedestrian as they revved the off-road bike around the area.
The rider is said to have been joined by a second man with the pair fleeing cops together along the A580 and through fields near a dam.
Officers later detained the second man on the ground when he dismounted his bike.
TiktokCHOPPER CHASE Shocking moment helicopter swoops on extremely dangerous speeding biker just feet above the ground[/caption]
TiktokCHOPPER CHASE Shocking moment helicopter swoops on extremely dangerous speeding biker just feet above the ground[/caption]
The yob seen in the footage was reportedly arrested when he ran out fuel, his bike has been seized.
Chief Superintendent Fiona Gaffney, Chief Operating Officer at NPAS, said: “We’re aware of the video currently circulating on social media and the level of public interest it has generated.
“The circumstances are being thoroughly reviewed internally and in consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure all relevant standards and procedures have been followed.”
It comes amid talks that police choppers could soon be replaced by police drones.
One unmanned helicopter being trialled by the NPAS is capable of flying at speeds of 115mph and is able to stay airborne for up to six hours.
The NPAS said that the unmanned helicopter, a Schiebel Camcopter S-100, is larger than existing drones used by police forces and has a greater range.
Uncrewed aircraft manufacturer Schiebel selected for UK police trials
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) has selected global manufacturer Schiebel to support its most ambitious trial so far of ‘Beyond the Visual Line of Sight’ (BVLOS) uncrewed aircraft operations.
The aim of the trial was to determine if advancements in aviation technology can bring future benefits to policing and, if they can, how they could be safely introduced into UK airspace.
David Walters, NPAS Head of Futures and Innovation, said: “We will be evaluating how we might integrate uncrewed aircraft into the existing NPAS operating model, under the current management of our CAA-approved Accountable Manager and Form 4 certificate-holders, who are qualified and accountable for the delivery of safe police air operations over England and Wales.”
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