Red Arrows aircraft crashes near Bournemouth Airport after festival display



Conflicting reports on whether pilot ejected plane or not

Mayday call made at 1.50pm - then the aircraft crashed

Red Arrows had performed at Bournemouth Air Festival

An RAF Red Arrows aerobatic display aircraft has crashed after performing at an air show in Bournemouth.

It's understood that the BBC was asked to stop filming after one of the aircraft issued a Mayday call at 1.50pm and plunged into the ground by a river that runs through the village of Throop.



Eyewitnesses describe a dramatic rescue attempt by dog walkers, who jumped into the water and pulled the pilot out. It's not clear whether he managed to eject or not.



In trouble: Amateur footage shows one of the Red Arrows peeling away from the rest of the team Emergency: The plane then began to disappear from view, having issued a Mayday call Out of sight: The plane disappeared from view, leaving a vapour trail behind. The crowd was left in a state of disbelief by the accident

Downed: A rescuer is seen at the site of the crash, just south of Bournemouth Airport

A Ministry of Defence spokesman told MailOnline that the name of the pilot is being withheld, along with details of whether he was hurt or not.



The Red Arrows were performing at the Bournemouth Air Festival when the accident happened.

Radio enthusiast Malcolm MacIntyre, 37, told the Bournemouth Echo that he'd listened in on radio communications between the team and the control tower, just before the crash.

He said that just after the Red Arrows called to land by the tower, one of the pilots said: 'Are you aware of the Mayday?'

The reply was: 'Yes, we are, somebody is dealing with that.'

Mr MacIntyre added: 'I am completely shocked.'



One eyewitness, Laura Goodwin, told Sky News that the accident happened just after the team had completed its display.



She said: 'One plane went one way, one went the other and didn't come back.'

She added: 'A lot of people are in disbelief about what happened.'

Crash site: Emergency services are in attendance near the village of Throop, where the aircraft came down

Another witness said that dog walkers pulled the pilot from a river, near the village of Throop.

The crash location was confirmed by Shaun Spencer-Perkins, who witnessed the crash from Throop Mill.



RED ARROWS FACTFILE There have been seven other crashes since the squadron was founded in 1964. On all occasions there were no serious injuries to pilots or members of the public.

Since 1979, the Red Arrows have used the dual control BAE Systems Hawk T1 aircraft.



According to the aerobatic team's website, the planes' Rolls Royce engines produce 5,200lbs of thrust and give a top speed of Mach 1.2.



The team is based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire since 2001.



Pilots must have completed one or more operational tours on a fast jet such as the Tornado, Harrier or Jaguar, have accumulated at least 1,500 flying hours before they are eligible.



In March last year two Hawks were involved in a mid air collision during a training exercise. Red 7 pilot Flight Lieutenant David Montenegro managed to land safely but Flight Lieutenant Mike Ling was forced to eject from Red 6 and was taken to hospital with a dislocated shoulder.



In 1987 a Hawk smashed into a house in the neighbouring village of Welton, Lincolnshire while practising, nobody was killed and both pilots ejected safely.



He told the BBC: 'I heard a rushing sound and I saw a plane about 50ft above the ground racing across the fields.

'It impacted and bounced across the field, made it across the river.



'Members of the public jumped into the water to search for the cockpit.

'We waved down the helicopter, I took off my son's orange jacket and my wife's red jumper to get the attention of the helicopter.'

He added that there was no sign of the pilot and he didn't see a parachute.

Wayne Kent, 30, the assistant manager of the Broadway Pub, said some of his customers had seen the incident.

He said: 'I heard that the plane went down in the fields near Throop and it bounced three or four times.

'The pilot then steered it towards the river.'

Mr Kent said the pilot guided the plane away from houses in the village and from people walking near the riverbank.



Bournemouth Airport released a statement about the incident on its website.

It read: 'A spokesperson for Bournemouth Airport has confirmed that an incident involving a Red Arrows aircraft took place approximately one mile away from the airport this afternoon.

'Emergency services are in attendance.

'The airport was closed for a short time but is now back to normal operations.

'Passengers due to fly out of the airport this afternoon and evening are asked to check in as normal.'

The Air Festival, meanwhile, which has drawn crowds of over 200,000, is continuing to run.



Since 1979, the Red Arrows have used the dual control BAE Systems Hawk T1 aircraft.

According to the aerobatic team's website, the planes' Rolls Royce engines produce 5,200lbs of thrust and give a top speed of Mach 1.2.

They have been based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire since 2001.

Disaster: The RAF team had just performed their display at Bournemouth Air Festival when the crash happened