Military and civilian authorities alike are on the scene following a Shoreham plane crash in the Sussex area of the U.K. this Saturday.
CNN is reporting that a major incident has been declared, and that at least seven people are reported to have perished in the disaster.
The plane, an aged military Hawker Hunter jet, was performing at a nearby airport when the crash, which happened on a heavily traveled road, took place.
This is a fluid, breaking situation and more information on this tragic plane crash will be provided as it becomes available.
Update:
More first-hand accounts of the tragic plane crash that occurred near Shoreham are emerging from the aftermath. The BBC is reporting that the plane appeared to have lost power while attempting to maneuver through a loop when it appeared to have lost power. What followed was an unbelievable, horrific crash and explosion.
“There was a massive fireball and an awful lot of smoke. Afterwards there was a stunned silence.”
Local residents, airshow attendees and those passing through the busy thoroughfare alike bore witness to the tragedy. Reports from authorities indicate that none of the attendees at the airshow itself appear to be among the seven casualties currently being reported following the crash. It is believed that all those who lost their lives were on the road or in the plane itself.
Surrounding areas have been evacuated as a precaution.
It appears that witnesses to the moments leading up to the plane crash realized that there was something terribly wrong.
“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.”
The plane itself, a vintage Hawker Hunter from the 1950-60’s, was once one of the primary go-to jets of the RAF. It is a bit preliminary to make assumptions or guess as to what specifically went wrong in the cockpit this afternoon. This is the second airshow plane crash in the area in the last several years.
Emergency crews from multiple agencies are on the scene, securing the perimeter, hoping against further explosions and beginning the daunting task of going through the debris. Right now, the primary focus on everyone’s mind seems to be seeking out what could have caused this devastating plane crash.
