RAF helicopter stuck in field flies back to base

Image caption, The Chinook landed in a field near Bere Regis following a technical issue

An RAF helicopter has flown back to its base after being stranded in a field for five days.

The Chinook was forced to land near Bere Regis in Dorset late on Thursday after a fault in its hydraulic system.

But engineers have now fixed the problem and the aircraft was safely returned to its base in Odiham, Hampshire, on Tuesday night.

In a , RAF Odiham thanked the landowner and residents for their "support and patience whilst we repaired the aircraft".

Image source, RAF Odiham

Image caption, RAF Odiham said the helicopter was able to fly safely back to its base on Tuesday night

The distinctive tandem-rotor aircraft typically weighs 10,814kg (10.8 tonnes) when empty, but has the capacity to carry up to 55 troops and a further 10,000kg of cargo, according to the RAF.

In 2021, a Chinook from Benson became stuck in a muddy field in Oxfordshire following a precautionary landing, and had to be lifted out by two cranes.

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