Five bodies found in wreckage of missing Milton Keynes helicopter

A prominent Milton Keynes businessmen has been named locally as one of five people believed to have been on board the helicopter.

SEE MORE: Wealthy Milton Keynes businessman feared to be on missing helicopterThe Citizen understands that Kevin Burke was a passenger on the private helicopter that disappeared over the Irish sea just after 4pm yesterday - prompting a search by the UK coastguard in the Caernarfon Bay area of North Wales.

SEE MORE: Search launched for Milton Keynes helicopter missing over Irish Sea with five people on boardThe helicopter is believed to be Mr Burke’s private twin squirrel red helicopter, owned by his company Staske Construction Limited, and the operation to locate it is ongoing.

Mr Burke has also been a director of Bletchley based construction firm Tubular Erectors Limited for the last 21 years. The company has carried out structural steel work on developments including Shenley Brook End School, Stadium:MK, and Milton Keynes Hospital.

The 57-year-old, a former student at Lord Grey School, was also the deputy chairman of Hulcote and Salford Parish Council as recently as three years ago.

The helicopter is understood to have taken off from his home yesterday (Wednesday), less than three miles from Mr Burke’s home address at Brook Farm in Hulcote, where he lives with his wife Ruth. It is feared that Ruth, who is also a director for Staske Construction, may have been on board as well.

SEE MORE: Missing helicopter from Luton with five peopleMr Burke regularly took businessman from the local area on trips on his private helicopter, but it is not yet known whether any other MK residents may have been on board.