UK weather: Three men killed in Storm Gerrit carnage after their car plunged into icy river amid 70mph winds & -6C chill
THREE men have been killed in a horror crash when their car plunged into an icy river amid 70mph winds and chills of -6C as Storm Gerrit rages on.
The 4×4 vehicle plunged into the River Esk near Glaisdale on the North York Moors just before midday.
Emergency services rushed to the scene just before noon with Air support also scrambled to help out after the horror smash.
The vehicle was recovered from the river by the fire service just after 3pm but the three men inside were tragically confirmed to have died.
Another man who attempted to help those in the 4×4 was pulled to safety from the river just after midday.
North Yorkshire Police say he has been receiving medical treatment but there is no further update on his condition.
Cops have warned that localised conditions across the area are making driving hazardous.
Roads are particularly badly affected around the River Esk, to the north of the county.
A force spokesperson added: “The key advice is to consider whether your journey is necessary.
“If you are driving, use your headlights, leave extra space to the car in front, and take it slow and steady.
“Please avoid driving through any kind of standing or moving flood water if you possibly can.”
It comes as Storm Gerrit sparked chaos across the nation, severely disrupting travel, crushing vehicles under trees and seeing flights grinding to a halt.
Chills of -6.2C were recorded in Braemar, Scotland, yesterday, as winds of 70mph and heavy rain battered the UK.
Houses were left in a state of “absolute disaster” after a “localised tornado” hurtled through Stalybridge in Tameside.
Strong gusts from Storm Gerrit whipped through the town in Greater Manchester on Wednesday damaging around 100 properties.
No injuries were reported but many residents were forced to leave their homes.
Local Andy Turner said that the tornado lasted for about 15 seconds and was “pure carnage”.
He said: “At 11.30pm last night, there was – all I can describe – is a hurricane came through. It lasted for about 15 seconds.
“Cars were parked outside the house. My wife’s car is a write-off. My car took a bit of the brunt of the tree.
“It’s just lucky that nobody was hurt. It was pure carnage.”
Extraordinary pictures show how Bowling station in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, turned into a canal as water flooded the tracks yesterday,
Meanwhile at least eighteen British Airways flights due in and out of Heathrow were axed.
Thousands of travellers hoping to return to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jersey and Manchester had their plans ripped up.
And those bound for Barcelona, Berlin, Madrid and Paris Charles de Gaulle had their journeys canned as air traffic control brought in a raft of travel restrictions.