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Red Arrows jet crashes at RAF Valley airbase in north Wales Red Arrows jet crashes at RAF Valley airbase in north Wales
(about 1 hour later)
A Red Arrows jet has crashed after an incident at RAF Valley in north Wales, the Ministry of Defence has said.A Red Arrows jet has crashed after an incident at RAF Valley in north Wales, the Ministry of Defence has said.
Two people are understood to have been onboard the Hawk aircraft when it went down shortly before 1.30pm on Tuesday.Two people are understood to have been onboard the Hawk aircraft when it went down shortly before 1.30pm on Tuesday.
The MoD said it was investigating the incident and could not confirm whether the occupants had ejected from the aircraft.The MoD said it was investigating the incident and could not confirm whether the occupants had ejected from the aircraft.
An RAF spokesman said: “We are aware of an incident today at RAF Valley involving a Hawk aircraft. We are investigating the incident and it would be inappropriate to comment at this stage.”An RAF spokesman said: “We are aware of an incident today at RAF Valley involving a Hawk aircraft. We are investigating the incident and it would be inappropriate to comment at this stage.”
Rob Jones, the manager of nearby Anglesey golf club, said his customers had seen a parachute eject from the plane before it crashed on the runway.Rob Jones, the manager of nearby Anglesey golf club, said his customers had seen a parachute eject from the plane before it crashed on the runway.
“I heard an almighty bang. It sounded like a cannon going off. I don’t know if that’s from the ejector seat, but some of the golfers saw a parachute,” he told the Guardian.“I heard an almighty bang. It sounded like a cannon going off. I don’t know if that’s from the ejector seat, but some of the golfers saw a parachute,” he told the Guardian.
“I’m overlooking the runway now from about [a] quarter of a mile away. I heard a bang and I went to the door, and all I could see was plumes of black smoke coming up. Now the runway is covered in emergency services. There’s a couple of ambulances, I think one’s an air ambulance, a couple of police cars.”“I’m overlooking the runway now from about [a] quarter of a mile away. I heard a bang and I went to the door, and all I could see was plumes of black smoke coming up. Now the runway is covered in emergency services. There’s a couple of ambulances, I think one’s an air ambulance, a couple of police cars.”
Jones said he had seen the plane flying in the area for a couple of days and Red Arrows planes would occasionally use RAF Valley, which is on the west coast of Anglesey near Holy Island.Jones said he had seen the plane flying in the area for a couple of days and Red Arrows planes would occasionally use RAF Valley, which is on the west coast of Anglesey near Holy Island.
Anne Wilson, who works at the golf club, said she saw a “big fireball and lots of smoke” after the plane went down. “I did not see the crash but I heard a very loud noise. We are used to the planes going over but this was unusual,” she said.
“They said the plane came in quite steeply and they saw a pilot eject, but that it was very low to the ground when they ejected.”
It is believed the aircraft was meant to be heading from RAF Valley, where training takes place for mountain and maritime operations, back to RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, where the Red Arrows are based, when it crashed.
Nearby residents said they heard a loud explosion followed by a huge plume of black smoke after the aircraft went down.Nearby residents said they heard a loud explosion followed by a huge plume of black smoke after the aircraft went down.
Dilys Roberts, who lives on a smallholding near RAF Valley, said her husband had seen the plane just before it crashed and had said “it didn’t look normal”. Dilys Roberts, who lives near RAF Valley, said her husband had seen the plane just before it crashed. “He saw this plane coming round and it looked off-skew – it didn’t look normal, put it that way – then the next thing we heard was this really loud explosion,” she said.
“He saw this plane coming round and it looked off-skew – it didn’t look normal, put it that way – then the next thing we heard was this really loud explosion,” she said.
“He ran up the bank and could see the black smoke. He saw the plane circling and it was coming in to land, but it didn’t look normal. We thought it just didn’t look right. He just heard this massive explosion and we think it’s crashed on the runway.”“He ran up the bank and could see the black smoke. He saw the plane circling and it was coming in to land, but it didn’t look normal. We thought it just didn’t look right. He just heard this massive explosion and we think it’s crashed on the runway.”
A spokeswoman for the Welsh ambulance service said it was called shortly before 1.30pm to reports that an aircraft had crashed at the base. It sent the air ambulance and an emergency ambulance to the scene. A spokeswoman for the Welsh ambulance service said it had sent the air ambulance and an emergency ambulance to the scene.
Another witness said they had seen someone parachute from the plane before it burst into flames.
“I was sat at Rhosneigr train station waiting for the train and you can see the airfield from there. I was watching the Red Arrow flying because you hardly ever see them. Then it looked like it was about to land, then next thing I saw was the parachute, and then the plane hit the runway and went up in flames,” the witness told the Daily Post newspaper.
The Red Arrows aerobatic team performs stunts and daredevil displays in the distinctive Hawk jets.
Based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, all Red Arrows pilots have flown operationally in frontline aircraft before joining the team.
WalesWales
Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
MilitaryMilitary
Plane crashesPlane crashes
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