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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/22/hawker-hunter-plane-crash-shoreham-air-show-reports
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| Air show plane crashes on to cars during Shoreham display | Air show plane crashes on to cars during Shoreham display |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A number of people are feared dead after a fighter jet taking part in the Shoreham air show crashed on to a road. | A number of people are feared dead after a fighter jet taking part in the Shoreham air show crashed on to a road. |
| Sussex police said the aircraft hit four cars on the A27 just north of Shoreham airport, where the Royal Air Forces Association air show was being held. | |
| The Royal Sussex County hospital said it was put on alert for a major incident at 2pm. A spokesman said it had received two casualties, one in a critical condition and one with minor injuries. | The Royal Sussex County hospital said it was put on alert for a major incident at 2pm. A spokesman said it had received two casualties, one in a critical condition and one with minor injuries. |
| Unconfirmed reports said that two cyclists were killed in the crash. | Unconfirmed reports said that two cyclists were killed in the crash. |
| The A27 has been closed in both directions and drivers have been told to avoid the area. The interchange at Lancing is also closed. | The A27 has been closed in both directions and drivers have been told to avoid the area. The interchange at Lancing is also closed. |
| The plane involved – a Hawker Hunter single-seat fighter jet – was attempting a loop manoeuvre but failed to pull out. One eyewitness said the pilot did not eject before the plane hit the ground. | The plane involved – a Hawker Hunter single-seat fighter jet – was attempting a loop manoeuvre but failed to pull out. One eyewitness said the pilot did not eject before the plane hit the ground. |
| A friend was really close. Has lots of pictures. So very sad #Shoreham pic.twitter.com/QvLhynWNyv | |
| Dom Lawson was driving on the A27 when the jet crashed. “If I’d been 20 seconds faster I would not be having this conversation,” he told the Guardian. | |
| He described how the plane passed just a few metres above his car with a deafening roar before slamming into the ground in a fireball five or six vehicles in front. “It was like something out of Die Hard,” he added. | |
| Lawson said he saw at least two cars on fire but added that the incident could have been much worse if traffic lights at a nearby junction had not been red. | |
| BREAKING The plane apparently crashed on the a27 #Shoreham Airshow http://t.co/PEYE8ivUcd pic.twitter.com/YVfWzZD4eM | BREAKING The plane apparently crashed on the a27 #Shoreham Airshow http://t.co/PEYE8ivUcd pic.twitter.com/YVfWzZD4eM |
| Lucy Pearce, head of content at the Brighton Argus, was at the air show. “We were watching the display but we did not have a good view. All of a sudden there were all these gasps and screams and everyone jumped up. Then there was masses of smoke,” she told the Argus. | Lucy Pearce, head of content at the Brighton Argus, was at the air show. “We were watching the display but we did not have a good view. All of a sudden there were all these gasps and screams and everyone jumped up. Then there was masses of smoke,” she told the Argus. |
| Thousands of spectactors are unable to leave the airport because the A27 has been closed. “People are milling around and looking at the exhibits … resigned to the fact that they cannot leave at the moment,” Pearce said. | Thousands of spectactors are unable to leave the airport because the A27 has been closed. “People are milling around and looking at the exhibits … resigned to the fact that they cannot leave at the moment,” Pearce said. |
| To those being held at @shorehamairshow, thank you for your patience. We will update you when we can. #Shoreham | To those being held at @shorehamairshow, thank you for your patience. We will update you when we can. #Shoreham |
| An Air Accidents Investigation Branch spokesman said it will be deploying a team to investigate. | An Air Accidents Investigation Branch spokesman said it will be deploying a team to investigate. |
| The Hawker Hunter has crashed at #Shoreham. This is a truly awful scene. pic.twitter.com/MZ1i55qLNA | The Hawker Hunter has crashed at #Shoreham. This is a truly awful scene. pic.twitter.com/MZ1i55qLNA |
| Laura Raymond, a presenter for Splash FM, said a couple of planes were taking part in a jet display when one appeared to fly too close to the ground before onlookers saw a “huge ball of fire and black smoke”. | Laura Raymond, a presenter for Splash FM, said a couple of planes were taking part in a jet display when one appeared to fly too close to the ground before onlookers saw a “huge ball of fire and black smoke”. |
| She told Sky News: “The Hawker Hunter T-7 display was under way. Within seconds we were thinking, ‘gosh, that plane is going rather low’. There was a ball of fire, we didn’t even hear an impact, and then plumes of black smoke.” It is the second tragic incident at the air show in recent years. In September 2007, James Bond stuntman Brian Brown, 49, died when he crashed a Hurricane after carrying out an unplanned barrel roll at a re-enactment of the Battle of Britain. | She told Sky News: “The Hawker Hunter T-7 display was under way. Within seconds we were thinking, ‘gosh, that plane is going rather low’. There was a ball of fire, we didn’t even hear an impact, and then plumes of black smoke.” It is the second tragic incident at the air show in recent years. In September 2007, James Bond stuntman Brian Brown, 49, died when he crashed a Hurricane after carrying out an unplanned barrel roll at a re-enactment of the Battle of Britain. |
| Drivers on the A27 at the time of the incident tweeted pictures of the scene: | Drivers on the A27 at the time of the incident tweeted pictures of the scene: |
| So a plane just crashed right in front of me RIP pic.twitter.com/9mUxhKNSXa | So a plane just crashed right in front of me RIP pic.twitter.com/9mUxhKNSXa |
| Another tweeted: | Another tweeted: |
| Bloody hell just nearly got caught up in crash at #shoreham air show plane landed on road just as we were driving past! | Bloody hell just nearly got caught up in crash at #shoreham air show plane landed on road just as we were driving past! |
| On 1 August, Kevin Whyman was killed when the plane he was flying as part of the Gnat display team crashed near the CarFest in Cheshire. | On 1 August, Kevin Whyman was killed when the plane he was flying as part of the Gnat display team crashed near the CarFest in Cheshire. |
| The event was created by TV and radio presenter Chris Evans to support BBC Children in Need. | The event was created by TV and radio presenter Chris Evans to support BBC Children in Need. |