A helicopter crash which killed Southend man Philip Dearden, formerly from Manners Way, and ten others, was caused by a "manufacturing anomaly", investigators said today.

The anomaly, which could have led to fatigue, was built into one of the Sikorsky S-76A's main rotor blades, which fractured in the crash 25 miles off the Norfolk coast last month, according to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Published Friday August 9, 2002

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