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| Tornado jet crash: Search and rescue now 'a recovery operation' | Tornado jet crash: Search and rescue now 'a recovery operation' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two missing air crew are feared dead as officials confirmed the search for them in the Moray Firth has become a recovery operation. | |
| Two Tornado GR4 jets from RAF Lossiemouth, in north east Scotland, are thought to have crashed on Tuesday. | |
| Two of the four men involved were airlifted to hospital but there are no details on their condition. | |
| Searches had been made for the other two men but the Coastguard said the focus was now on recovery. | Searches had been made for the other two men but the Coastguard said the focus was now on recovery. |
| Coastguard spokesman Fred Caygill said: "The search and rescue phase of the mission was terminated at 7.04pm yesterday evening. | Coastguard spokesman Fred Caygill said: "The search and rescue phase of the mission was terminated at 7.04pm yesterday evening. |
| "We are now in a recovery phase. | "We are now in a recovery phase. |
| "We stand by to assist the Ministry of Defence in any way that we can if required." | "We stand by to assist the Ministry of Defence in any way that we can if required." |
| Wreckage from one of the aircraft was recovered by the Buckie lifeboat, the location of the second is not yet known. | Wreckage from one of the aircraft was recovered by the Buckie lifeboat, the location of the second is not yet known. |
| Police and the Coastguard have been patrolling shorelines and members of the public have been asked to report any other debris found. | Police and the Coastguard have been patrolling shorelines and members of the public have been asked to report any other debris found. |
| A family member of a serving member of the RAF at Lossiemouth told the BBC of concerns among the families of personnel about the risk of crashes. | |
| The person, who asked not to be named, said cutbacks, staff shortages and long working hours had put pressure on air and ground crews. | |
| They said: "The reason that these crashes are happening is because everybody is undermanned, the engineers are overworked. | |
| "The planes are too old. They can no longer fix them properly." | |
| The family member added: "There's so much uncertainty. The guys are flying around with that in their heads and that is causing a massive amount of stress." | |
| Wreckage collected | Wreckage collected |
| Aberdeen Coastguard was alerted to the incident at about 13:50 BST on Tuesday, after reports that the jets came down about 25 miles south of Wick. | Aberdeen Coastguard was alerted to the incident at about 13:50 BST on Tuesday, after reports that the jets came down about 25 miles south of Wick. |
| The RNLI said 15 volunteers manned the Wick, Invergordon and Buckie lifeboats, which were used to search for the missing personnel. | The RNLI said 15 volunteers manned the Wick, Invergordon and Buckie lifeboats, which were used to search for the missing personnel. |
| The boats headed for the Beatrice oil field area, supported by a helicopter from Stornoway in the Western Isles. | The boats headed for the Beatrice oil field area, supported by a helicopter from Stornoway in the Western Isles. |
| Lossiemouth station commander Gp Capt Ian Gale said: "The circumstances remain uncertain, but clearly this is a very serious incident. | Lossiemouth station commander Gp Capt Ian Gale said: "The circumstances remain uncertain, but clearly this is a very serious incident. |
| "The thoughts from everyone here are with the families and friends of those involved." | "The thoughts from everyone here are with the families and friends of those involved." |
| First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This is clearly a very serious incident and my thoughts are with the loved ones of those affected. | First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This is clearly a very serious incident and my thoughts are with the loved ones of those affected. |
| "I understand rescue services have done all they can to help with the situation and offer my thanks to all those involved. | "I understand rescue services have done all they can to help with the situation and offer my thanks to all those involved. |
| There have been previous accidents involving RAF Tornado aircraft. | There have been previous accidents involving RAF Tornado aircraft. |
| In January 2011, an engine fire caused a Tornado GR4 based at RAF Lossiemouth to crash into the sea off north west Scotland - the crew in that incident managed to eject to safety. | In January 2011, an engine fire caused a Tornado GR4 based at RAF Lossiemouth to crash into the sea off north west Scotland - the crew in that incident managed to eject to safety. |
| The following month, a Tornado crew was forced to eject after experiencing problems landing at the same base - there were not thought to have been serious injuries. | The following month, a Tornado crew was forced to eject after experiencing problems landing at the same base - there were not thought to have been serious injuries. |
| The supersonic Tornado GR4 attack aircraft has seen decades of RAF service, being used in various military operations that include in Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan and most recently Libya. | The supersonic Tornado GR4 attack aircraft has seen decades of RAF service, being used in various military operations that include in Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan and most recently Libya. |