World's longest airship crashes

The 92 meter-long (302 foot) aircraft was in the middle of its second test flight at an airfield in Cardington, in the English county of Bedfordshire, when it hit a telegraph pole, reported the UK's Press Association news agency.

The airship then landed with a thump as it fell to the ground, sustaining damage to both its front and sides, local media reported. The cockpit was also smashed.

A YouTube video showed the aircraft falling to the ground slowly, but it was difficult to see any serious damage from the clip.

Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), the manufacturer of the helium-filled airship, said no-one was injured during the second test flight.

"All crew are safe and well and there are no injuries," it tweeted.

Later, the firm tweeted more details about the crash.

Nicknamed the "Flying Bum," the airship made its first 30-minute test flight last Thursday, without incident. But a previous attempt at launching, a few days earlier, had to be abandoned due to technical issues.

Originally developed for the US army as a surveillance aircraft, the Airlander 10, also has potential uses in the commercial sector, such as carrying cargo, according to HAV.

The firm received a British government grant of 2.5 million pounds ($3.7 million, 2.9 million euros) to develop the project.

The Airlander can fly at up to 4,880 meters (6,000 feet) and reach speeds of 148 kilometers per hour (92 miles per hour), according to HAV.

Filled with helium, it can stay airborne for more than two weeks unmanned and up to five days if manned.

mm/jil (Reuters, AFP)