UK Air Force Helicopter Makes Forced Mountain Landing

A Royal Air Force helicopter was forced to land high up a mountain in Wales on Tuesday because of a technical problem and all five people on board managed to get off safely before it caught fire, Britain's Ministry of Defence said.

Media photographs showed a dark plume of smoke rising from near the top of a mountain in the Yr Aran area of the Snowdonia national park.

"A Griffin training helicopter safely completed a precautionary landing in Snowdonia this afternoon following a technical issue," the ministry said in a statement. "Everyone on board exited safely. Subsequently the aircraft caught fire."

Five people, four military and one civilian had been on board, the ministry added, not four as it earlier reported.

North Wales police said emergency services were at the scene.