UPDATED 5.30PM - A helicopter has crashed into the sea at Flamborough Head on its way to Humberside Airport - leaving two people dead.
The incident happened at around 1.40pm after emergency services were scrambled following a call from a member of the public.
The privately-owned helicopter was on its way to Humberside Airport and emergency services are still trying to recover it. The flight has taken off from Edinburgh and was bound for Retford.
Paul Litten, commercial director for Humberside Airport, said the aircraft was due to refuel at Humberside.
He said: "The helicopter had come from somewhere in the north and had gone through air traffic control at Tees Valley and was handing over to us.
"I don't know any more at this stage other than it is a medium sized aircraft that is privately owned. It is not an oil or gas rig helicopter.
The aircraft was said to be near the 17th hole of a nearby golf course when it ditched as horrified players looked on.
It is thought to be a Jet Ranger helicopter, capable of carrying a pilot and five passengers.
A Humberside Police statement said: "Police, Coast Guard and ambulance service attended the area right away and a search was carried out which resulted in the helicopter being located in the sea off the coast of Flamborough near the light house.
"Members of public and the media are asked to stay away from the area until further notice due to the site being close to dangerous cliff edges and there also being a quantity of what appears to be aviation fuel in the water around the crash site making it potentially unsafe at present."
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: " A search-and-rescue Sea King helicopter from RAF Leconfield (in East Yorkshire) was on a training exercise and was very quickly on the scene.
"The tide was high and the Sea King crew were not able to recover anybody from the helicopter before having to return to Leconfield to refuel.
The Sea King has returned to the crash scene."
For our followers it is NOT HO99 involved in the incident at Flamborough Head. Thank you for your concerns. #0744
— HPO99 (@HPOscar99) September 16, 2014
Chris Feast, from Flamborough Head Golf Club, said a number of golfers had spotted a helicopter trying to land near the 17th green and then reported hearing a "loud bang and crash".
Eye-witness Chris Palmer said he heard a loud "crack" and the helicopter disappeared out of sight behind the cliffs.
Rod Marwood, 67, course chairman at Flamborough Head Golf Club, said he was about 400 yards away when the helicopter crashed.
He said: "There were quite a few members out on the course and we see helicopters flying backwards and forwards all the time. This one was just a small, two to four seater one flying along.
"I didn't really take much notice of it when all of a sudden the engine noise changed. When I looked, it was already starting to bank a little bit. I thought it was trying to land on the edge of the golf course but it disappeared over the side of the cliffs.
"I didn't hear anything but I think it hit the cliffs before it went into the sea and then there was a smell of aviation fuel."
Mr Marwood said the site of the crash was at the bottom of 250 foot-high sheer cliffs.
