Cornwall plane crash: Two pilots eject after Royal Navy aircraft goes down

Public asked to avoid the Helston area as emergency services respond

A Royal Navy aircraft has crashed in Cornwall, with two pilots forced to eject from the plane, according to the Ministry of Defence.

An investigation will be launched after the T1 Hawk jet came down, hospitalising two people, during a flight from RNAS Culdrose – an airbase located on the Lizard peninsula, a government spokesperson said.

“Emergency services are currently in the St Martins area of Helston following reports of a plane crash. Public are asked to avoid the area whilst first responders attend the scene,” Devon and Cornwall Police said in a statement.

“Two people have been treated by ambulance at the scene and will now be taken to hospital. Their injuries are not currently thought to be life-threatening or changing.”

Defence minister Johnny Mercer blamed “suspected engine failure” for the crash.

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One witness said that the plane appeared to have landed in a field.

“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,” said Layla Astley, an audio engineer, who called 999.

“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 no one was seriously hurt.”

In a statement, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “Two pilots are being checked by medics after ejecting from a Royal Navy Hawk aircraft from 736 Naval Air Squadron during a flight from RNAS Culdrose.

“An investigation will begin in due course. We won’t be providing further detail at this time.”

Putting the crash down to suspected engine failure, Mr Mercer, the defence minister, told the BBC: “There’s nothing more to it than that ... They’ve had a problem, they’ve ejected, they’ve been picked up.

“We’re assessing them and we’ll have more information in due course.”

Several outlets, including LBC and The Sun, reported that the pilots were likely taking part in the Navy’s weekly “Thursday War” exercise – a military training drill in which Hawk jets are used to simulate enemy fighters in order to prepare UK and Nato naval fleets for such an eventuality.

British Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawk jets sit on the tarmac at RAF Mona air base in Anglesey (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)

According to the Royal Navy’s website, providing this naval training is the 736 Naval Squadron’s primary role, and the squadron is equipped with T1 jets to do so.

These jets have a top speed of more than 1000km/hour and a wingspan of 9.39 metres. The Sun reports that the aircrafts are estimated to cost £15m per year to maintain, however their current cost per flight hour – placed at £7,000 a decade ago – is unclear, with the Ministry of Defence rejecting a recent Freedom of Information request on the subject.

Additional reporting by PA