British military jet in deadly airshow crash

South East Coast Ambulance Service said the victims died at the scene, while another person is critical in hospital.

A Hunter Hawker aircraft crashed into the A27 at Shoreham at 1.20pm this afternoon, and police have confirmed seven dead and a number of injured.

Shoreham Airshow also tweeted: “There has been a major incident outside the airfield boundary”.

The pilot, who was flying a Hawker Hunter jet fighter, was rescued from the wreckage of the burning plane and is apparently recovering at a medical center.

One onlooker filmed as the plane did a loop before plummeting to the ground and into the busy A27.

‘The A27 has been closed in both directions and drivers are asked to avoid the area until further notice’.

“As far as we are aware all those who sadly lost their lives were on the road”, said the county force’s Superintendent Jane Derrick. AKIF/Vantagenews/AKM-GSI The plane attempted to do a loop in the air at the beginning of the show, but did not complete his trick, and crashed into the ground.

Mr Bunting said it was too soon to say whether the airshow would go ahead in future years.

She told Sky News: “We were watching the displays… and the fast jets were going on”.

“Following today’s tragic accident at the Shoreham Airshow, the CAA will be offering every assistance to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) with its investigation”, the British Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement.

“Suddenly there was a big flash and flames and lots of smoke”.

“From where we were we could see the jet came down very low and looked like it was going to scoop up – but it didn’t”.

The crash, which caused major traffic disruption and left thousands of spectators temporarily stranded at the venue, is the worst airshow disaster since 31 spectators were killed at Farnborough Airshow in 1952.

Mr Loughton drove past the entrance to the air show a few minutes before the crash. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected”. Stuntman Brian Brown was killed when his World War-II Hurricane aircraft crashed while attempting a tricky battle manoeuvre in September, 2007.