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| Shoreham airshow crash: relatives face long wait before victims are identified | |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Families and friends of those feared to have been killed in the Shoreham air disaster are expected to have to wait for days and even weeks until victims can be formally identified. | Families and friends of those feared to have been killed in the Shoreham air disaster are expected to have to wait for days and even weeks until victims can be formally identified. |
| After the wreckage of the vintage Hawker Hunter jet was lifted by crane, police said they believed 11 people had been killed. Rescuers were relieved when it emerged that no more victims were found under the smashed fuselage. | After the wreckage of the vintage Hawker Hunter jet was lifted by crane, police said they believed 11 people had been killed. Rescuers were relieved when it emerged that no more victims were found under the smashed fuselage. |
| Related: Shoreham air crash: vintage jet displays to be 'significantly restricted' | Related: Shoreham air crash: vintage jet displays to be 'significantly restricted' |
| Earlier in the day, Sussex police said the number of dead could be as high as 20. After the wreckage had been lifted, Steve Barry, assistant chief constable, said 11 families had come forward. | Earlier in the day, Sussex police said the number of dead could be as high as 20. After the wreckage had been lifted, Steve Barry, assistant chief constable, said 11 families had come forward. |
| The local coroner said relatives might face a wait of several weeks while specialist disaster victim identification teams scoured the accident site, around a main road, the normally busy A27. | The local coroner said relatives might face a wait of several weeks while specialist disaster victim identification teams scoured the accident site, around a main road, the normally busy A27. |
| Penny Schofield, coroner for West Sussex, said the search was slow and painstaking. “The fire was so intense and the scale of the damage so vast, it means that we must very carefully remove the remains in a way that will lead to a formal identification.” | Penny Schofield, coroner for West Sussex, said the search was slow and painstaking. “The fire was so intense and the scale of the damage so vast, it means that we must very carefully remove the remains in a way that will lead to a formal identification.” |
| Three more names emerged on Monday, taking the total number of identified dead and missing to six. A chauffeur who had been due to drive a bride to her wedding was named by his family as 76-year-old Maurice Abrahams. | Three more names emerged on Monday, taking the total number of identified dead and missing to six. A chauffeur who had been due to drive a bride to her wedding was named by his family as 76-year-old Maurice Abrahams. |
| Mark Trussler, a motorcyclist from Worthing, is missing, and fears have been raised about Daniele Polito, a young father from Worthing, who was travelling in the same car another man, Matt Jones, whose family said on Sunday he had been killed. | Mark Trussler, a motorcyclist from Worthing, is missing, and fears have been raised about Daniele Polito, a young father from Worthing, who was travelling in the same car another man, Matt Jones, whose family said on Sunday he had been killed. |
| Air safety watchdogs said vintage jets would be banned from “high energy” aerobatic displays until further notice. The Civil Aviation Authority said that flying displays over land by vintage aircraft would be “significantly restricted” to flypasts only. All Hawker Hunter aircraft would be temporarily grounded. | Air safety watchdogs said vintage jets would be banned from “high energy” aerobatic displays until further notice. The Civil Aviation Authority said that flying displays over land by vintage aircraft would be “significantly restricted” to flypasts only. All Hawker Hunter aircraft would be temporarily grounded. |
| The CAA said it had launched an urgent review after the incident – the first UK airshow crash involving bystanders since 1952 – and immediate restrictions and changes to UK civil air displays had been put in force. It will conduct extra risk assessments on all forthcoming civil air displays to establish whether more measures should be introduced. | The CAA said it had launched an urgent review after the incident – the first UK airshow crash involving bystanders since 1952 – and immediate restrictions and changes to UK civil air displays had been put in force. It will conduct extra risk assessments on all forthcoming civil air displays to establish whether more measures should be introduced. |
| It said: “The safety standards that must be met by all major civil air displays in the UK are among the very highest in the world and are regularly reviewed. | It said: “The safety standards that must be met by all major civil air displays in the UK are among the very highest in the world and are regularly reviewed. |
| “All air display arrangements, including the pilots and aircraft, must meet rigorous safety requirements. Individual display pilots are only granted approval following a thorough test of their abilities.” | “All air display arrangements, including the pilots and aircraft, must meet rigorous safety requirements. Individual display pilots are only granted approval following a thorough test of their abilities.” |
| Still, there were demands for safety precautions at public displays to be tightened, with some calling for aerobatic displays to take place only over the sea. | Still, there were demands for safety precautions at public displays to be tightened, with some calling for aerobatic displays to take place only over the sea. |
| Schofield said that once formal identification was complete, inquests would be opened in public and the deceased would be released to their families so funerals could take place. | Schofield said that once formal identification was complete, inquests would be opened in public and the deceased would be released to their families so funerals could take place. |
| The fear is that the fireball and wreckage from the jet crashing into cars may mean identification will be of human remains, and have to be via DNA or dental records. Sussex police said the size of the disaster site meant it was possible that “further victims” could yet be discovered. | The fear is that the fireball and wreckage from the jet crashing into cars may mean identification will be of human remains, and have to be via DNA or dental records. Sussex police said the size of the disaster site meant it was possible that “further victims” could yet be discovered. |
| Matt Webb, chair of the Sussex Police Federation, said: “The scenes were fairly horrendous. Some said it was the worst thing anyone has seen, some of those have got 30 years’ experience.” | Matt Webb, chair of the Sussex Police Federation, said: “The scenes were fairly horrendous. Some said it was the worst thing anyone has seen, some of those have got 30 years’ experience.” |
| Andrew Hill, 51, a former RAF instructor and British Airways captain, was flying a 1950s Hawker Hunter when it failed to pull out of a loop-the-loop manoeuvre and plummeted on to the A27 before bursting into flames. | Andrew Hill, 51, a former RAF instructor and British Airways captain, was flying a 1950s Hawker Hunter when it failed to pull out of a loop-the-loop manoeuvre and plummeted on to the A27 before bursting into flames. |
| Hill’s family said he had suffered multiple injuries and was in a medically-induced coma. It emerged that Hill, known as Andy, was selected to fly the plane last month; a fellow pilot, Chris Heames, had been originally listed in the airshow’s programme. | Hill’s family said he had suffered multiple injuries and was in a medically-induced coma. It emerged that Hill, known as Andy, was selected to fly the plane last month; a fellow pilot, Chris Heames, had been originally listed in the airshow’s programme. |
| Related: Shoreham plane crash: victim's mother urges limits on airshows as 11 feared dead | Related: Shoreham plane crash: victim's mother urges limits on airshows as 11 feared dead |
| Hill’s family said: “Following the tragic events at the Shoreham airshow on Saturday, the pilot’s family are devastated and deeply saddened for the loss of life, and they send their prayers and heartfelt condolences to the families of all those affected at this difficult time.” | Hill’s family said: “Following the tragic events at the Shoreham airshow on Saturday, the pilot’s family are devastated and deeply saddened for the loss of life, and they send their prayers and heartfelt condolences to the families of all those affected at this difficult time.” |
| Since the crash, 300 officers and staff have worked on the disaster. Forty officers were called in from three other forces to help to identify victims. Police officers are being offered counselling because of fears that the scenes they witnessed could lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. | Since the crash, 300 officers and staff have worked on the disaster. Forty officers were called in from three other forces to help to identify victims. Police officers are being offered counselling because of fears that the scenes they witnessed could lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. |
| Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, spent Monday at the crash site. He wrote on Twitter: “Very clear that many members of emergency services have had traumatic time dealing with terrible crash scene and we should think of them too.” | Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, spent Monday at the crash site. He wrote on Twitter: “Very clear that many members of emergency services have had traumatic time dealing with terrible crash scene and we should think of them too.” |
| Worthing United footballers Matthew Grimstone and Jacob Schilt, both 23, were previously named by relatives on Sunday as among those killed in the crash. | Worthing United footballers Matthew Grimstone and Jacob Schilt, both 23, were previously named by relatives on Sunday as among those killed in the crash. |
| Grimstone’s mother, Sue, from Brighton, told the Daily Telegraph the death of her son was “a waste”, adding: “Airshows should be over the sea. It should never have been over that road.” | Grimstone’s mother, Sue, from Brighton, told the Daily Telegraph the death of her son was “a waste”, adding: “Airshows should be over the sea. It should never have been over that road.” |
| Labour MP Grahame Morris said airshows should be “limited to displaying over water”, while fellow Labour MP Graham Stringer, a former chairman of Manchester airport and former member of the Commons transport committee, told the Daily Mirror “there should be a serious look at the regulations with a view to tightening them up”. | Labour MP Grahame Morris said airshows should be “limited to displaying over water”, while fellow Labour MP Graham Stringer, a former chairman of Manchester airport and former member of the Commons transport committee, told the Daily Mirror “there should be a serious look at the regulations with a view to tightening them up”. |
| Related: Shoreham airshow disaster: what we know so far | Related: Shoreham airshow disaster: what we know so far |
| However, the RAF Association said: “All air display arrangements, including the pilots and aircraft, must meet rigorous safety requirements and are regularly reviewed to ensure they provide the highest possible levels of protection. At Shoreham, we have always taken those safety arrangements very seriously.” | However, the RAF Association said: “All air display arrangements, including the pilots and aircraft, must meet rigorous safety requirements and are regularly reviewed to ensure they provide the highest possible levels of protection. At Shoreham, we have always taken those safety arrangements very seriously.” |
| Flowers and tributes to the victims have been placed close to where the plane came down, on a footbridge that has become a makeshift shrine. Claudia Berman, 47, left a bouquet in the colours of Worthing United football club, which lost two of its players in the crash. “My family’s been involved with Worthing United for 15 years so it hits home doubly hard,” she said. “I just feel so bad that our lovely little town has been marked by this tragedy.” | Flowers and tributes to the victims have been placed close to where the plane came down, on a footbridge that has become a makeshift shrine. Claudia Berman, 47, left a bouquet in the colours of Worthing United football club, which lost two of its players in the crash. “My family’s been involved with Worthing United for 15 years so it hits home doubly hard,” she said. “I just feel so bad that our lovely little town has been marked by this tragedy.” |
| The organisers of a forthcoming airshow, the Battle of Britain anniversary at Duxford next month, said they would respond to any changes demanded by the CAA. “We constantly review our own processes and procedures to ensure that they are in line with best practice and regulatory requirements,” they said. “Safety is paramount. We will of course respond to any advice that comes from the relevant authorities in light of this tragic incident.” | The organisers of a forthcoming airshow, the Battle of Britain anniversary at Duxford next month, said they would respond to any changes demanded by the CAA. “We constantly review our own processes and procedures to ensure that they are in line with best practice and regulatory requirements,” they said. “Safety is paramount. We will of course respond to any advice that comes from the relevant authorities in light of this tragic incident.” |