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Search-and-rescue plane crash lands on Jersey | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A search-and-rescue plane with five people on board has crash-landed on the north coast of Jersey while searching for two missing fishermen. | |
The five people onboard the twin-engine propeller plane, which crash-landed just after 19:15 GMT in woodland close to the Priory Inn, at Devil's Hole, St Mary, are said to be uninjured. | |
Emergency services are at the scene. | |
It is understood the two people reported missing off the coast in a dinghy remain unaccounted for. | |
'Miraculous escape' | |
John Gripton, managing editor of BBC Radio Jersey, said: "There are reports that engines on the aircraft failed and that the plane used the twinkling lights of the pub in the darkness on the north coast as a target to try to land the craft on dry land. | |
"Five people were on board and miraculously they appear to be ok and uninjured, and currently with the emergency services at the pub." | |
Jersey Police confirmed they had received a call from the Airport Fire Service and coastguard, who reported issues with the Channel Island Air Search (CIAS) aircraft at about 19:15. | |
Mr Gripton said the crash happened during gale-force winds and torrential rain in a very rural part of the island and as such it was pitch black. He said emergency services were continuing to search the surrounding woodland. | |
John Dowling, manager of the Priory Inn, said the five who were in the plane came into his pub with police after they had landed. | |
'Shaken up' | |
"No-one was injured, everyone was all right and that is the main thing, isn't it?" he said. | |
"Of course they were shaken up. | |
"You would be too if you'd just crash landed a plane, wouldn't you?" | |
A number of vessels have been searching for the two people missing at sea, including the volunteer CIAS aircraft based in neighbouring Guernsey. | |
French aircraft have now joined the search, said Mr Gripton, and two ships carrying coastguard and RNLI search teams from Alderney and Jersey are continuing the search. |