The masked abseilers were dressed in black as they descended quickly from the choppers and into the building.
Supermarket shoppers have been left in shock after masked figures dropped from helicopters and stormed a building near Tesco.
The masked abseilers were dressed in black as they descended quickly from the choppers and into the building near Baguley, Manchester, on Monday, April 28.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, they were spotted descending using ropes before landing onto what is believed to be a roof within an industrial estate next to the supermarket before running inside.
The ropes can be seen in the images going from the inside of the helicopter to the ground, as the aircraft hovered above.
It has been speculated that the aircraft are unmarked Eurocopter Dauphin helicopters, commonly utilised by the SAS for covert transportation and rapid deployment during missions.
The aircraft are said to use civilian paint schemes in a bid to blend in with commercial air traffic in the area – but they did not completely appear to blend in as shocked shoppers spotted them hovering before men descended from ropes.
Local shopper Vinay Mathew Punnamthanam captured the intense moment on camera following his evening trip to the supermarket. He said: “I was in Baguley Tesco, and it happened just behind that.
“I really don’t know what happened. Two helicopters came, they dropped people and left. I was in a hurry, so I couldn’t ask anyone about it.”
Online speculation was rife as social media users tried to decipher the occurrence.
One person commented: “I heard a helicopter going over us which didn’t show up on Flight Radar so assumed it must have been military.”
Another suggested: “SAS training on Virgin Media building in Baguley.”
Both Greater Manchester Police and the Ministry of Defence have been not yet responded when approached for comment.
