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Shoreham plane crash: seven dead after fighter jet hits cars during air show Shoreham plane crash: seven dead after fighter jet hits cars during air show
(35 minutes later)
Seven people have been killed after a fighter jet taking part in the Shoreham air show crashed on to a road on Saturday afternoon. Seven people have been killed after a fighter jet taking part in an air show crashed on to a busy A-road on Saturday afternoon.
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. Sussex police said the Hawker Hunter hit four cars on the A27 just north of Shoreham airport, where the Royal Air Forces Association air show was being held.
South-East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said seven people were declared dead at the scene, while one patient with life-threatening injuries was taken to the Royal Sussex County hospital. A further 14 patients were treated for minor injuries. The South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said seven people were declared dead at the scene and one person with life-threatening injuries was taken to the Royal Sussex County hospital in Brighton.
The hospital said it was put on alert for a major incident at 2pm. “The aircraft ended up in a bush. There have been several casualties, but we have no further information on these at the moment,” the spokesman said. A further 14 people were treated for minor injuries. Unconfirmed reports said that two cyclists were killed in the crash. Nobody at the air show site itself is believed to have been injured.
The A27 remains closed in both directions and drivers have been told to avoid the area. The interchange at Lancing is also closed. The vintage Hawker Hunter single-seat fighter jet was attempting a loop manoeuvre, but the pilot reportedly failed to pull out. One eyewitness said that the pilot did not eject before the plane hit the ground. The wrecked plane came to rest in a bush.
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 Hawker Hunter was listed in the air show programme as being flown by former RAF Harrier pilot Andy ‘Hilz’ Hill, whose day job is as an Airbus captain for a major airline. Hill, who is well known for his aerobatic and air show display work, is described by those in the industry as “a very experienced formation instructor and display pilot”.
A friend was really close. Has lots of pictures. So very sad #Shoreham pic.twitter.com/QvLhynWNyv
The Hawker Hunter was listed in the air show programme as being flown by former RAF Harrier pilot Andy ‘Hilz’ Hill, whose day job is as an Airbus captain for a major airline. Hill, who is well known for his aerobatic and air show display work, is described by those in the industry as a very experienced formation instructor and display pilot.
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.
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
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 spectators 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,” said Pearce.
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.
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”.
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 A friend was really close. Has lots of pictures. So very sad #Shoreham pic.twitter.com/QvLhynWNyv
Another tweeted: 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 said. 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 just five or six vehicles in front. “It was like something out of Die Hard,” he added.
Bloody hell just nearly got caught up in crash at #shoreham air show plane landed on road just as we were driving past! 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 at red.
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. Lucy Pearce, head of content at the Brighton Argus, was at the air show. “All of a sudden there were all these gasps and screams and everyone jumped up. Then there was masses of smoke,” she told the newspaper.
The event was created by TV and radio presenter Chris Evans to support BBC Children in Need. Thousands of spectators were unable to leave the airport because the A27 was closed. Drivers on the road at the time of the accident tweeted pictures of the scene.
Organisers of the Shoreham air show tweeted: “There has been a major incident outside the airfield boundary. The emergency services are responding. Updates will follow when available.”
An Air Accidents Investigation Branch spokesman said it would be deploying a team to investigate.
Laura Raymond, a presenter for the local Splash FM radio station, said that 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.”
David Bryson, who was watching the air show from Mill Hill, north of the airfield, said: “It was shocking – an awful thing to see. The plane was flying low, as is typical for an air show.
“The pilot pulled up to do a loop and as he came down and pulled up to recover the loop it became obvious he wouldn’t manage to recover it. The jet pulled to the right and hit the road near the traffic lights. The plane was intact when it hit the ground but it then exploded. It was awful.”
Tina Tilley, chief executive of Worthing and Adur chamber of commerce, saw the crash from the VIP area at the show. “From where we were we could see the jet came down very low and looked like it was going to scoop up – but it didn’t.
“There were flames and we knew it was right on the A27. Everyone was horrified and there were people crying. It’s horrendously sad for the families of everyone involved.”
Shoreham resident Dave Penwarden, 51, said he saw the plane explode in a “massive fireball”.
“The plane was coming out of a loop-the-loop, it was fairly low,” he said. “It just didn’t seem to have enough speed to come out of the loop, instead of powering out it dropped too fast and hit the ground.
“There was a massive fireball and an awful lot of smoke. Afterwards there was a stunned silence. Everyone just went quiet.”