Both The Candidate And The Pilot Escape With Serious, But Not Life-Threatening Injuries

A candidate for Britains House of Commons was injured Thursday when the plane in which he was flying went down at an airfield about 60 miles from London. The pilot was also injured. The plane was towing an election-day related banner promoting Nigel Farage and his Independence Party.

Photographs of the incident show the plane lying upside down in the grass at the airfield. The Associated Press reports that Farage suffered broken ribs, a chipped spine, and other injuries. Both he and the pilot, Justin Adams, reportedly had to be cut out of the plane.

"Both the pilot and I had a miraculous escape, and we are lucky to be alive," Farage said. It is expected he will remain hospitalized for a few days.

The banner the plane was towing read "Vote for your country -- Vote UKIP." The UK Independence Party favors Britains withdrawal from the EU. Farage was running in his area against the speaker of the House of Commons, Conservative John Bercow.

FMI: www.parliament.uk