froggg Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 A Red Arrow jet has crashed near Bournemouth airport as the annual air festival took place. A Twitter account for the Bournemouth Air Festival said: "We are aware of the situation with the Red Arrows - will update you accordingly." Police have confirmed they are dealing with "an incident" in the area although would not immediately give any details. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) also said it is investigating. Andy Martin, from the Bournemouth Daily Echo, said he was 500 yards from the accident scene, and the area where the plane reportedly crashed was "locked down" by emergency services. Eyewitness Laura Goodwin said she could see a police helicopter and a coastguard helicopter in the air. She had been watching the display, and said she saw the red arrows coming in. "One went one way, one went the other and then did not come back up," she told Sky News. "Within seconds you could tell something was not right as there were ambulances there." The aerobatic team was officially formed in 1965 and has taken part in over 4,000 displays in 53 countries, according to the official website. A timetable said they were due to be carrying out a display at 1pm before a flypast in Drimpton - a village in West Dorset. On Thursday severe flash flooding hit parts of south west England - resulting in a fortnight's worth of rain in just half an hour.:eek: More to follow... Sky news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
froggg Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 The word is he didn't eject to avoid the Castlepoint shopping center, thousands could have been killed.....bless him http://www.springbean.co.uk/Gallery/RAF%20Waddington/album/RAF%20Waddington%202005032 http://www.rvops.co.uk/images/categories/help-for-heroes-wrist-band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastKentRam Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Chaos in Bournemouth at the moment, im going back down there on the 29th, sh*tty way to go but fair play to him if that was the reason he didnt eject, RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex W Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 RIP to the poor soul, saved alot of people at that show by aiming the plane towards a field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds Ram Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 fair play if that is why he didn't eject, very brave man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hucknall Ram Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 The RAF's Red Arrows display team has been grounded while investigators try to establish the cause of a crash in Dorset which killed one of its pilots. Flt Lt Jon Egging, 33, from Rutland, died when his Hawk T1 aircraft crashed near Bournemouth Airport after a display on Saturday afternoon. Witnesses described seeing his plane hit the ground in a field by the River Stour near the village of Throop. Books of condolence are to be opened in Bournemouth later for public tributes. Flt Lt Egging flew on the right hand outside of the Diamond Nine formation Dorset Police said Flt Lt Egging, known as 'Eggman', was thrown from the aircraft and was pronounced dead at the scene. Shortly before the crash, his wife, Dr Emma Egging, had watched him take part in a display at the Bournemouth Air Festival. She said later: "Watching him today, I was the proudest I've ever been. I loved everything about him, and he will be missed." Gp Capt Simon Blake, the commandant of the RAF Central Flying School, said the Ministry of Defence had begun an investigation into the cause of the crash and all Red Arrows Hawk T1 aircraft, based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, had been grounded as a standard safety measure. He said: "At this juncture it is too early to speculate as to the cause of the accident. "In accordance with normal policy the Ministry of Defence has appointed a service inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident and... have grounded the Hawk T1 temporarily until its safety can be assured. "As for the rest of the season it is too early to speculate as to when the Red Arrows will be back on the public circuit but suffice to say for the short term they will not be able to perform in public." 'Heard a crack' The crash site was cordoned off by police soon after the incident and only people living inside the zone were being allowed access. The Military Air Accident Investigation Branch has started an inquiry. Flt Lt Egging's aircraft was one of nine Red Arrows planes to take part in the display over the seafront. The plane plunged into a field near the River Stour The RAF said he joined the team in the autumn of 2010 and flew on the right hand outside of the famous Diamond Nine formation. Nicholas Gore, 22, was walking with a friend close to the river when he saw all nine Red Arrows overhead. "There were quite a few people watching and we saw them go over but one seemed quite low," he said. "They then disappeared behind trees and I heard a crack, not an explosion, just a crack and we got further down and I saw the plane with its red tail in the air and its nose in the river." Another witness, who did not want to be named, said the plane had skidded for several hundred metres along the riverbank after it crashed. Messages for family Bournemouth Borough Council leader Peter Charon said he had arranged for the authority to open two books of condolence on Sunday "for people to express their sympathy and record memories". "The mayor of Bournemouth and myself will be opening these books... at Bournemouth Town Hall, recording our sympathies on behalf of the town and the council respectively," he said. He said the books would be opened at 10:00 BST and people could sign them up until 20:00 on Sunday. They will also be available for signing throughout the week. The council said it would hand the books to Flt Lt Egging's family, along with any donations given by members of the public for the family's chosen charity. In a statement, the borough council asked anyone wishing to leave floral tributes to place them on the grass banks around the Town Hall. Bournemouth Air Festival organisers said the event would go ahead on Sunday, with other RAF displays among the attractions. All nine Red Arrows display pilots are fast jet pilots from frontline Royal Air Force squadrons. Flt Lt Egging joined the RAF in 2000 and served with IV(AC) Squadron based at RAF Cottesmore, flying the Harrier GR9 in support of coalition forces in Afghanistan. The Red Arrows have used the dual control BAE Systems Hawk T1 aircraft since 1979. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramexpat Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 I was at Radom air show 2 years ago in Poland, when a pilot of a su-27 bought the plane down into a field rather than ejecting and letting the plane go free into a residential zone , , these pilots know what they do is risky and it takes a unreal amout of courage to take your plane into the ground knowing the outcome to save others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.