Welsh plane crash: Teenage girls among the dead

by mudricky | February 11, 2009 at 09:24 am

740 views | 61 Recommendations | 9 comments

Two teenage girl Air Corps cadets and their RAF trainers were the four onbaord the two planes that collided mid-air into each in the sky near Porthcawl, Wales.

The wreckage is spread over about half a mile and police have been receiving reports from members of public coming across the debris.

One of the twin-seater planes was on fire when emergency services reached the scene.

The two planes are from a flight training school at the RAF base in Cranwell, Lincolnshire.

Local resident Reena Callingham said to a reporter on BBC news:

"I just couldn't believe it. At first there wasn't an explosion straight away but then there was. They just went down," she said.

Supt Tim Jones, of South Wales Police, said: "There are believed to be a total of four fatalities.

"I hope you all understand at this time our priority is to talk to members of the family and next of kin and we are working together to support them at this most difficult time.

"A major incident room has been set up at police headquarters in Bridgend and a response is being co-ordinated from there."

The identities of the people who have died have not yet been revealed.

A number of helicopters were used during the incident to gather evidence and mountain rescue teams were on stand-by.

The inquiries will be undertaken by police, Ministry of Defence and the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).

Four people have been killed in a mid-air collision between two aircraft near the south Wales coast.

They died near the seaside resort of Porthcawl at around 1100 GMT. Their identities have not been revealed.

The wreckage was spread over about half a mile, with some in sand dunes near Kenfig nature reserve.

The two aircraft were from the flight training school based at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. Two separate inquiries are under way into the crash.

One eyewitness told the BBC she saw two planes hit each other in the sky, before she heard an explosion.

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Amy Judd

at 13:23 on February 11th, 2009

So sad - and such a tragedy.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 16:07 on February 11th, 2009

Very unfortunate.

kuuva

at 17:13 on February 11th, 2009

sad.

spaceportseven

at 17:15 on February 11th, 2009

this story seems to change as fast as the weather. why would young people (or later cadets) be flying in a camouflaged cream grey light aircraft, this is asking for an accident if such close flying was part of this "flight experience exercise", what a load of rubbish. breaks all health and safety reccomendations, be visible !

the aircraft that exploded did so only once falling out of the sky, aviation fuel does not just explode like that creating a huge bang like in american movies. why was the explosion not almost instant upon collision, why did the aircraft fly so close together for a few minutes. the RAF or MOD have a lot of explaining to do to the bereaved families, if they exist that is.

very unusual weather and cloud formations today and especially in the area of the accident at 11am, could these aircraft have been making observations or be involved in weather manipulation projects ? could they both have been unmanned aerial vehicles ? could they have made these dangerous manouvers in a safer place ?

Matthew Sims (not verified)

at 17:20 on February 12th, 2009

i'm sorry but i was in 267 squadron Twickenham for 6 years and i have flown over 40 hours in the grob tutor and it is a white and blue 'visible' aircraft. it has a exelent view from inside when your flying. there are such things as blind spots, same in a car, just in the sky. these girls were having the experience of there life when flying. For you to say that the weather, visibility,a nd the MOD has a lot of explaining to do is just wrong. The RAF pilots flying were pro's at what they do and loved there job. in my eyes you are spitting on them as pilots! Kerosene is aviation fuel and its about 4 times normal petrol. It will explode in that kind of situation (mass of fuel, air, the speed of a collision). Your a fool to think that it is anything else!

RIP to the four and i wish the familys and any who knew them, that there not alone in there morning!

kimber-Leigh. (not verified)

at 01:49 on February 12th, 2009

this was rite by me . Im so sorry 4 the families that lost these 4 people.

Steven ?? (not verified)

at 04:42 on February 12th, 2009

spaceportseven....you are so far from the truth. One of the pilots is related to me.Believe me...it did happen. Maybe you would like to inform my young son who has lost a very loving Godfather!

Regards

dean smith (not verified)

at 10:01 on February 12th, 2009

just to inform you all, i was at the scene moments after the impact, i can assure you that it was 2 raf tutor aircraft ,white 2 seat raf training aircraft ,which were flying in loose formation as they so often do around this area, the explosion relates to the ignition of aviation fuel upon impact. having spent many hours flying around this area myself i can guess that the 2 instructors split up and planned on performing mild and safe manovers over the dunes (quite common) before returning in tandem to RAF St.Athen. being winter the sun was low in the sky and strong, i guess one or both pilots had there visability comprimised at the same moment, a slight flight correction probably lead to contact occuring with the obvious result. it is simply a tragic accident, we should all simply reflect on a terrible day.