An officer was killed and four others seriously injured when two police helicopters crashed into each other during a riot training exercise above Berlin's Olympic Stadium.
Both choppers were reduced to fiery hulks when they smashed into a field adjoining the stadium in heady snow. First indications are that they flew too close to one another and their rotors clashed.
As well as the serious injury and fatality media reports spoke of 'many others' being hurt. Each helicopter was carrying 25 police officers on a training exercise about crowd control: the Olympic Stadium from 1936 is now home to the Hertha Berlin Bundesliga football club.
Devastation: Two crashed helicopters on the field of the Olympic Stadium in Berlin
Response: Police officers rush to the scene after the crash in which one police officer died and another four were seriously injured
Football ground: The Olympic Stadium in Berlin is also home to the Hertha Berlin Bundesliga football club
Fireworks were reportedly being let off to create riot conditions when the collision occurred. One pilot was pictured walking away from the wreckage of his craft with blood streaming down his face from a head wound.
The crash between the Puma helicopters happened at 10.40am in the morning on Thursday. Some 400 police officers were on the ground and dashed to the nearby fields to help their stricken comrades when they saw the aircraft go down in flames.
Alex Lier, a reporter for the Bild newspaper who was at the scene, said: 'Everyone is in shock. Three helicopters were airborne in a real snowstorm.
'Then one heard a loud bang and someone shouted: 'Everyone get down!' There was blood and wreckage everywhere.'
The helicopters are part of a fleet operated by the Federal Police - the national force - as opposed to the local Berlin police. An immediate inquiry is underway into the cause of the crash as local hospitals deal with the casualties.
Federal Police spokesman Frank Brochert confirmed there "was an incident during an exercise" and that emergency crews were on the scene. He had no details about the accident.
Fire service spokesman Sven Gerling said his initial information was that two helicopters crashed, but he had no further details on the accident.
Disaster: There were 25 police officers in each of the Puma helicopters, with reports suggesting they flew too close to each other
Injuries: One of the injured officers is helped away from the scene. Reports suggested that 'many more' had been injured
Training: There are thought to have been a further 400 officers from the Federal Police on the ground during the exercise
Confusion: Fireworks had been let off inside the stadium to recreate the atmosphere of a riot, according to some reports
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