Prince William describes tragic helicopter mountain rescue mission

London, June 9 (ANI): Prince William has revealed how he took part in his first helicopter mountain rescue mission on the day that Cumbria killer Derrick Bird went on the rampage.

The Royal was in a Sea King helicopter on a training sortie that was diverted to help a climber in Snowdonia.

They replaced the duty crew at his base RAF Valley that had been sent to Cumbria to help in the search for victims of Bird.

And unfortunately, the 27-year-old Prince's first taste of a real-life attempt involving the RAF search and rescue force ended in tragedy.

The climber, who was suffering from severe head injuries after falling down a mountainside, lost his life.

William described the scene after playing polo at Cirencester, Gloucestershire, on Sunday to help raise money for two charities, Centrepoint and Mountain Rescue England and Wales, of which he is patron.

"I did my first mountain rescue the other day. It was amazing after all the training to see it all work in practice. But it was someone with head injuries. Unfortunately he didn't survive," the Daily Express quoted him as saying.

The Prince described the mission to Mike France, national fundraising chairman of Mountain Rescue, and Judy Whiteside, editor of Mountain Rescue Magazine, who has worked closely with him in his role as the organisation's patron. (ANI)