Western Daily Press (Saturday)
All RAF Hawk T1 aircraft grounded after jet crash
AN investigation into the crash of a Royal Navy Hawk jet has led the Ministry of Defence to temporarily ground the aircraft from RAF and Royal Navy service.
Police, air ambulance, coastguard, the fire service, ambulance and Royal Navy were all sent to a field in St Martin, on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall at around 9.20am on Thursday after the crash.
Two pilots from the 736 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose at Helston, were aboard the Hawk T1 jet when it encountered a problem and they had to eject.
They were found about half a mile from the main crash site having safely ejected and were airlifted to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth where they remain. Their injuries are not being treated as life-threatening or life-changing.
The MoD has now launched an investigation and as part of that, has temporarily grounded all Hawk T1 aircraft, including the iconic Red Arrows.
A spokeswoman for the MoD said in a statement: “Safety is our paramount concern. The RAF has decided to temporarily pause Hawk T1 operations, as a precautionary measure, while investigations are ongoing.
“We will continue to review the situation as further information becomes available.”
Ejection seat manufacturer Martin-Baker said it was the first Royal
Navy ejection in 18 years. One of the pilots’ parachutes could be seen dangling in the branches of a tree and blowing in the wind. And what looked like a helmet on the ground along with part of an ejector seat.
Eyewitness Layla Astley said she heard a “very loud bang” shortly after watching the pilots open their parachutes.
She said: “I saw the plane flying low over our house,
“I heard a clunking sound, it flew on over our fields and then there was a loud crack and we saw two pilots ejecting.
“I watched as their parachutes opened.
“I then saw the plane bank left and over the top of a hill before hearing a very loud bang.
“There was no smoke or fire and I hear from locals that thankfully noone was seriously hurt.”