| Welcome to Natural Hazards Forum. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Shoreham plane crash | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: 22 Aug 2015, 10:44 PM (53 Views) | |
| skibboy | 22 Aug 2015, 10:44 PM Post #1 |
|
Shoreham plane crash: Seven dead after Hawker Hunter hits cars 1 hour ago Seven people have died after a Hawker Hunter jet crashed into several vehicles during Shoreham Airshow. South East Coast Ambulance Service said the victims died at the scene, while another person is critical in hospital. The number of injured stands at 14. The plane crashed on the nearby A27. Witnesses said it was performing a loop but could not complete the manoeuvre. Prime Minister David Cameron sent his "heartfelt condolences" to the families of those who died in the crash. Eyewitness Stephen Jones said: "The aeroplane involved is a Hawker Hunter T mark 7. And he'd just begun his flying display. ![]() Police said the plane hit several vehicles "He'd gone up into a loop and as he was coming out of the loop I just thought, you're too low, you're too low, pull up. "And he flew straight into the ground either on or very close to the A27, which runs past the airport." Ailish Southall, who was driving along the A27 in West Sussex with her two children, said the plane came down close to them. "We were waiting for it to go back up and it didn't - it seemed to kind of split in two," she said. "There were huge amounts of fire and we ran from the car to kind of avoid the debris because we were about 15 metres away, we were just across the road from where the accident happened." ![]() The plane crashed at about 13:20 BST ![]() The plane is believed to have crashed after attempting a loop ![]() Emergency services arrived on the scene after the crash ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ At the scene BBC Sussex reporter Simon Jenkins I'm standing on the middle of the A27 and it's deserted. The police are taking no chances whatsoever. I've been asked to move back in case of any further explosions. I've been speaking to people and they are absolutely stunned. The plane seems to have stalled mid manoeuvre and came crashing down on the A27. The acrid smell and thick black smoke has just been fanning across the area and the skies are completely quiet. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A spokesman for Sussex Police said emergency services had declared a "major incident" with a number of helicopters deployed to the scene following the crash which happened at about 13:20 BST. He said: "The casualties are all believed to have occurred on the road at this time and there are not thought to be any injuries to anyone actually on the airfield. "The Air Accident Investigation Bureau are attending the scene and have asked anyone who has video or photographs of the plane in the time leading up to and including the crash to hold on to them and await advice as to whether they may be wanted to assist with the investigation." 'Massive fireball' Shoreham resident Dave Penwarden, 51, said he saw the plane explode. "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." Gairo Gomez, who works nearby, said: "I heard a huge bang and the glass was shaking and the doors were banging, the whole building was shaking. "I saw some smoke later on, at the time I didn't realise what had happened. Then I was told the plane had crashed, it's terrible." ![]() Tim Loughton MP, who represents East Worthing and Shoreham, tweeted: "Tragic news that there have been fatalities at the Shoreham Air Show crash and our thoughts and prayers must be with the families and casualties." The A27 will remain closed until Monday, when it is expected to reopen from 06:00 BST, Highways England said. There are currently delays of around 30 minutes between the junctions with the A24 South and the A2025. It is the second incident at the Shoreham Airshow in recent years. In September 2007 James Bond stuntman Brian Brown, 49, died when he crashed a World War Two Hurricane after carrying out an unplanned barrel roll at a re-enactment of the Battle of Britain. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ![]() The Hawker Hunter flew over crowds during the display at Shoreham Airshow The Hawker Hunter was a mainstay of the RAF through the 1950s and early 1960s. First flown in 1951, the single-seat plane was used as a fighter, fighter-bomber for reconnaissance and for aerobatics. There was also a two-seat trainer version, which served with many other air forces. Two-seater variants are still used by the RAF for training. The Hawker Hunter was deployed in major operations such as Malaya and Suez. The plane was also flown by an RAF display team dubbed the "Black Arrows". ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Source:
|
![]() |
|
| skibboy | 23 Aug 2015, 11:06 PM Post #2 |
|
Shoreham air crash death toll 'rises to 11' 1 hour ago ![]() Matt Jones (left) Jacob Schilt (centre) and Matthew Grimstone (right) were among those killed Eleven people are now thought to have died after a plane crashed into a West Sussex main road during an air show, police have said. This figure could rise further as police continue their investigation, Assistant Chief Constable of Sussex Police Steve Barry added. The vintage jet plummeted into traffic on the A27 on Saturday after attempting a loop manoeuvre. Some victims of the accident have been named by their families. The number of deaths was initially given as seven, but ACC Barry said it was now "highly likely" that 11 had died. A further 14 people were injured in the crash. Victims who have been named by their families include Matt Jones, 24, and Worthing United FC footballer Matthew Grimstone, 23. Another Worthing United footballer, Jacob Schilt, 23, is also believed to be among the victims, his club said. ![]() Footballer Jacob Schilt is also believed to have died in the crash In a statement, Worthing United FC said Mr Grimstone was their first team goalkeeper and "a brilliant player with huge potential". And Mr Schilt was a "tenacious midfielder, a skilful player, with an eye for goal", the club added. Sussex Police said no-one on the airfield was injured but the pilot - named locally as former RAF pilot Andy Hill - remained in a critical condition in hospital, having been pulled from the burning wreckage. Whether the pilot activated his ejector seat was yet to be determined, ACC Barry said. He said the removal of victims' bodies was likely to continue throughout Monday, and it was "quite possible" more would be discovered. ACC Barry said a crane would be brought in to lift the wreckage of the aircraft on Monday, and that the crash site was spread over 400 yards of the A27. The site remains hazardous, and fuel is still on the plane, police confirmed. ![]() The pilot has been named locally as Andy Hill ![]() Police said they fear more victims may be discovered In a video released by Sussex Police, ACC Barry later described the crash as "devastating". He said: "I've certainly not seen anything like this in my career in terms of the scale, the tragedy and the impact that this is going to have on the local community. "We are entering the recovery phase of the operation and as we do that we are likely to uncover more fatalities but we are putting in a huge amount of effort in supporting the families and helping them to understand what has happened." He appealed to drivers to avoid the area, saying the A27, which was badly damaged during the crash, would be closed for at least another two days. The crash happened at 13:20 BST on Saturday as the Hawker Hunter jet came out of a loop manoeuvre. It then smashed into the A27, sending a fireball across the carriageway. Neil McCarthy, a friend of pilot Andy Hill, told the BBC News Channel that the loop manoeuvre was regarded as "one of the most dangerous" to attempt. He said: "If you don't have the right entry speed, the right pull back on the stick, the G-force, the right gate height at the top of the loop manoeuvre, it can go wrong pretty quick." Captain Mike Vivian, former chief flight operations inspector for Britain's Civil Aviation Authority, told the BBC "lessons would be learned" from the tragedy. "In any accident like this where there is tragedy, it's right to review it in detail," he said. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is continuing to investigate the scene alongside the police, who have urged people to think twice before posting "extremely graphic" images of the crash online. Source:
|
![]() |
|
| skibboy | 24 Aug 2015, 11:52 PM Post #3 |
|
Shoreham Airshow crash: Vintage jet restrictions announced 4 hours ago Vintage jets will not be allowed to perform "high-energy aerobatics" over land at air shows after the Shoreham crash, regulators have said. The Civil Aviation Authority said such planes would be "limited to flypasts", and all Hawker Hunter jets have been temporarily grounded. At least 11 people died after a Hawker Hunter crashed into traffic on the A27 in West Sussex on Saturday. Sussex Police have named another victim as Maurice Abrahams of Brighton. Mr Abrahams' family released a tribute to the 76-year-old chauffeur, who was a former soldier and police officer. "Maurice is a well-respected and loved father and husband," the statement said. "He enjoyed his work chauffeuring his beloved Daimler car and he enjoyed gardening." ![]() Mr Abrahams was driving his "beloved Daimler car" when the plane crashed Meanwhile, the plane wreckage has been removed by crane and no further victims have been found, Sussex Police said. Assistant Chief Constable Steve Barry added: "However, until we have fully completed the search of what is an extensive scene, I must caution that there is still the possibility that we may discover evidence of further victims..." Police have also said that more than 200 people have called in to report concerns for missing relatives or friends since the incident. 'Deeply saddened' A spokesman for the CAA said the flying restrictions would remain in place until further notice, and it would be conducting "additional risk assessments on all forthcoming civil air displays". Since the restrictions were announced a host of air shows have been forced to alter their schedules. The regulator stressed that individual display pilots were only granted approval to fly "following a thorough test of their abilities". Andrew Hill, the pilot of the crashed jet, has been put in medically-induced coma after being pulled from the wreckage. The 51-year-old from Sandon, near Buntingford in Hertfordshire, suffered multiple injuries and is in a critical condition. Mr Hill was set to fly the plane at the Battle of Britain 75th anniversary show in Duxford, Cambridgeshire, the Imperial War Museum (IWM) said. A spokeswoman for the museum said the event would still take place on 19 and 20 September, but it would be "revised" following the tragedy. Similarly, Dartmouth Royal Regatta in Devon - which features an air display - will go ahead from Thursday but the routine of a Strikemaster jet has been restricted. Meanwhile, the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA), which organises Shoreham Airshow, has defended the event's safety record. "The team at Shoreham have many years of experience in running air shows throughout the UK and all aircraft have to be certificated and all pilots authorised by the CAA before they are allowed to undertake display routines at any air show," a spokesman said. West Sussex coroner Penny Schofield warned that work to identify the victims would be a "slow and painstaking operation" as she appealed for the public's "patience and understanding". She said it may take "several weeks" before all investigations were completed. "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," she added. ![]() People have been leaving floral tributes on a bridge near to where the crash happened ![]() The plane crashed after attempting a loop manoeuvre ![]() The road is expected to be shut for several days while crash investigators carry out their work The A27 will need major repairs as a result of the impact of the crash, and is expected to be shut for several days. Books of condolence have been opened and the flag is flying at half-mast at County Hall in Chichester. Two of the victims were amateur footballers and the Football League has announced that a minute's silence will be observed prior to all Capital One Cup Round 2 matches on Tuesday and Wednesday as a mark of respect to all those who died. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has offered his condolences to those who have died. He said: "The government is offering its full support to both the Civil Aviation Authority and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch to ensure everything possible is being done to find out what happened and ensure air displays take place safely and follow the highest standards." Saturday's crash is the second incident at the Shoreham Airshow, one of the premier air shows in the UK, in recent years. In September 2007 James Bond stuntman Brian Brown, 49, died when he crashed a World War Two Hurricane after carrying out an unplanned barrel roll at a re-enactment of the Battle of Britain. Source:
|
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
![]() Our users say it best: "Zetaboards is the best forum service I have ever used." |
|
| « Previous Topic · Aviation · Next Topic » |





















2:02 AM Jul 11