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| Shoreham airshow crash: formal identification of victims begins | Shoreham airshow crash: formal identification of victims begins |
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| Formal identification of the victims of the Shoreham airshow crash has begun, with the recovery of most of the remains from the scene almost complete, the West Sussex coroner has said. | Formal identification of the victims of the Shoreham airshow crash has begun, with the recovery of most of the remains from the scene almost complete, the West Sussex coroner has said. |
| Eleven people are believed to have died in Saturday’s incident when a Hawker Hunter jet ploughed into the A27. | Eleven people are believed to have died in Saturday’s incident when a Hawker Hunter jet ploughed into the A27. |
| The recovery operation, which saw the plane’s fuselage moved from the crash site using a crane on Monday, has been hampered over the last two days by heavy rain and winds of over 40mph. But on Wednesday, West Sussex county council’s senior coroner, Penny Schofield, said that most remains had been removed. She said: “Recovery of all the remains from the scene is almost complete due to the extremely hard work and dedication of police teams and archaeologists, who have been working in extremely difficult conditions. | The recovery operation, which saw the plane’s fuselage moved from the crash site using a crane on Monday, has been hampered over the last two days by heavy rain and winds of over 40mph. But on Wednesday, West Sussex county council’s senior coroner, Penny Schofield, said that most remains had been removed. She said: “Recovery of all the remains from the scene is almost complete due to the extremely hard work and dedication of police teams and archaeologists, who have been working in extremely difficult conditions. |
| “We will now begin the formal process of identifying all of the victims of this horrific tragedy. Recovering all of the remains has been a very slow and painstaking operation, but it has been necessary to ensure we establish, without doubt, individual positive identifications.” | “We will now begin the formal process of identifying all of the victims of this horrific tragedy. Recovering all of the remains has been a very slow and painstaking operation, but it has been necessary to ensure we establish, without doubt, individual positive identifications.” |
| At times, more than 200 workers from over 20 different agencies have been at the scene of the crash on the A27, which is not expected to reopen until Saturday at the earliest. Schofield said the identification process would also involve a large team of specialists, including forensic scientists, archaeologists, anthropologists, odontologists and pathologists. A CT scanner has been taken to the mortuary to enable a full scan of all the remains. | At times, more than 200 workers from over 20 different agencies have been at the scene of the crash on the A27, which is not expected to reopen until Saturday at the earliest. Schofield said the identification process would also involve a large team of specialists, including forensic scientists, archaeologists, anthropologists, odontologists and pathologists. A CT scanner has been taken to the mortuary to enable a full scan of all the remains. |
| The coroner said she had already met the families of those believed to have lost their lives, to explain the process. Once identification is complete, inquests will be opened into the deaths. | The coroner said she had already met the families of those believed to have lost their lives, to explain the process. Once identification is complete, inquests will be opened into the deaths. |
| The apparent death toll of 11 is based on people reported missing to the police, although authorities have warned it is possible it could rise if, for example, family or friends have not contacted them with their concerns. | |
| Four victims have been named by friends and family, as have two other people who have been missing since Saturday’s disaster. Matthew Grimstone and Jacob Schilt, both 23 and Worthing United footballers, Matt Jones, a 24-year-old personal trainer, and Maurice Abrahams, 76, from Brighton, a wedding chauffeur, are among those who died. | |
| It is feared that Daniele Polito, who was travelling in the same car as Jones when the plane crashed, and motorcyclist Mark Trussler, from Worthing, have also been killed. | It is feared that Daniele Polito, who was travelling in the same car as Jones when the plane crashed, and motorcyclist Mark Trussler, from Worthing, have also been killed. |
| Sussex chief constable, Giles York, laid a wreath on Wednesday on the Old Shoreham toll bridge that has become a memorial to those who lost their lives. He said that police were working closely with the coroner and that his officers were at pains to show a “human touch” to those feared to have lost loved ones. | Sussex chief constable, Giles York, laid a wreath on Wednesday on the Old Shoreham toll bridge that has become a memorial to those who lost their lives. He said that police were working closely with the coroner and that his officers were at pains to show a “human touch” to those feared to have lost loved ones. |
| “It’s not about turning round to families and using phrases like: ‘We cannot confirm nor deny who we think is there,’” he told Sky News. “But what we are trying to say to them is: ‘We most likely think it’s your loved one who might be at the heart of this,’ and putting support in place.” | “It’s not about turning round to families and using phrases like: ‘We cannot confirm nor deny who we think is there,’” he told Sky News. “But what we are trying to say to them is: ‘We most likely think it’s your loved one who might be at the heart of this,’ and putting support in place.” |
| He said the force had 24 family liaison officers trying to help the families come to terms with what had happened. | He said the force had 24 family liaison officers trying to help the families come to terms with what had happened. |
| Emergency services Chiefs lay wreaths and observe a silence near the Shoreham air crash site. pic.twitter.com/5NzxVcILYb | Emergency services Chiefs lay wreaths and observe a silence near the Shoreham air crash site. pic.twitter.com/5NzxVcILYb |
| York, who was joined by fire and ambulance service chiefs in laying tributes to the dead, praised the Shoreham community, as well as local companies, who he said had been patient amid the disruption and had offered packages of food as well as support to the emergency service workers. He said there had been a “huge amount of compassion coming through from the community in helping us get the answers for the families who are affected”. | York, who was joined by fire and ambulance service chiefs in laying tributes to the dead, praised the Shoreham community, as well as local companies, who he said had been patient amid the disruption and had offered packages of food as well as support to the emergency service workers. He said there had been a “huge amount of compassion coming through from the community in helping us get the answers for the families who are affected”. |
| The memorial on the footbridge has continued to expand. Among the wreaths was one laid on behalf of the home secretary, Theresa May, which read: “My deepest sympathies to those who have lost loved ones. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who have died and have been injured.” | The memorial on the footbridge has continued to expand. Among the wreaths was one laid on behalf of the home secretary, Theresa May, which read: “My deepest sympathies to those who have lost loved ones. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who have died and have been injured.” |
| A wreath laid on behalf of Home Secretary Theresa May near the Shoreham air crash site. pic.twitter.com/quyHNgnwuQ | A wreath laid on behalf of Home Secretary Theresa May near the Shoreham air crash site. pic.twitter.com/quyHNgnwuQ |
| Another bouquet was left by Michael Sturgess, who said he and his eight-year-old son Louis were saved from death by the fact that Abrahams gave way to him. “I had come on to the A27, and then he let me in because the traffic was so bad. We went through the traffic lights, the traffic lights went red and that’s when he got hit,” Sturgess told the BBC. “My little boy saw it all happen ... as I went around the bend the plane came down and he saw everything.” | Another bouquet was left by Michael Sturgess, who said he and his eight-year-old son Louis were saved from death by the fact that Abrahams gave way to him. “I had come on to the A27, and then he let me in because the traffic was so bad. We went through the traffic lights, the traffic lights went red and that’s when he got hit,” Sturgess told the BBC. “My little boy saw it all happen ... as I went around the bend the plane came down and he saw everything.” |
| Local NHS services in Sussex and Brighton & Hove announced on Wednesday that they have set up three dedicated phone lines, which will operate until 18 September, offering psychological support for those affected by Saturday’s events. A spokesman said: “Many people may have witnessed or been affected by the events – some of them at very close quarters. It is understandable that this may cause significant psychological or emotional impact.” | Local NHS services in Sussex and Brighton & Hove announced on Wednesday that they have set up three dedicated phone lines, which will operate until 18 September, offering psychological support for those affected by Saturday’s events. A spokesman said: “Many people may have witnessed or been affected by the events – some of them at very close quarters. It is understandable that this may cause significant psychological or emotional impact.” |