BREAKING: Missing helicopter from Luton with 5 people

Officers are continuing their search after the helicopter failed to arrive at its intended destination in Dublin yesterday afternoon.

The aircraft departed from Luton earlier in the day with five passengers on board.

After scouring the Irish Sea, the search has now been confined to land in the Snowdonia area with a number of local Mountain Rescue Teams also being used.

Supt. Gareth Evans of North Wales Police said: “All available Police, Mountain Rescue and other civilian resources are currently being utilised and we are grateful for the assistance and cooperation of the public as well as our MRT volunteers who are searching very difficult and challenging terrain.

“Five people are believed to be on board this ‘private’ flight and specialist Police family liaison officers are in contact with family members. At this stage we are not revealing their names and our thoughts are very much with their families at this difficult time.”

“We are also appealing for help from the public and local communities and so I’d ask if anyone who has sighted the aircraft flying over Snowdonia yesterday and thinks they may know of its whereabouts to contact North Wales Police via the live web chat http://www.north-wales.police.uk/contact/chat-support.aspx or by phoning 101.”