Red Arrow Pilot Dies After Jet Crash

A Red Arrow pilot, named as Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, has been killed after his jet crashed in Bournemouth.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the 33-year-old from Rutland died when his Hawk aircraft crashed just south of Bournemouth Airport.

The MoD confirmed that it was investigating the cause of the accident.

Group Captain Simon Blake, the Commandant of the RAF's Central Flying School, said Flight Lieutenant Egging was a "gifted aviator" who flew in the "most demanding position" of the formation - on the right hand outside of the diamond.

"A true team player, his good nature and constant smile will be sorely missed by all.

"In such a close-knit team, this tragedy will be keenly felt by his fellow team members, the Reds and all of the engineering and support staff, the Blues," he added.

The display team had taken part in Bournemouth's annual air festival shortly before the crash.

Wayne Kent, the assistant manager of a local pub, said that eyewitnesses reported the plane seemed to be guided away from houses in the village of Throop, and from people walking near the riverbank, before it crashed.

Shaun Spencer-Perkins saw the crash and said he heard "a whoosh sound, looked around and saw a Red Arrow flying below the tree line".

"It was flying incredibly fast, then it hit one side of the embankment of the river," he told Sky News.

"I saw part of the plane on our side of the embankment, strewn over a field.

"The rest was on the opposite side of the river.

"The crash site was quite large and there was a smell of aviation fuel."

Laura Goodwin also saw the crash, and said that shortly afterwards, she saw a police helicopter and a coastguard helicopter in the air.

She had been watching the display, and said she saw the Red Arrows coming in to land.

"One went one way, one went the other and then did not come back up," she told Sky News.

"Within seconds you could tell something was not right as there were ambulances there."