7 dead after jet crashes into road during UK airshow
An air crash in Shoreham, West Sussex on Saturday has claimed the lives of at least seven people with police expecting to discover more fatalities in the coming days.
Horrified onlookers watched the deadly incident unfold as a vintage Hawker Hunter fighter jet — performing for the Shoreham Airshow — failed to pull out of a loop and slammed into the road.
A wedding car was among the vehicles struck by the ailing jet. According to the Mail Online, the post-World War II-era jet flattened the car before bursting into an enormous fireball. It is not known who was in the car at the time.
The BBC reported that seven people were confirmed dead with 14 more injured, although police are expecting the death toll to rise.
Miraculously, the pilot, identified as former Royal Air Force pilot Andy Hill by the Mail Online, survived the horrific crash but is "fighting for his life" in hospital.
A restored Hawker Hunter jet similar to the one involved in the Shoreham Air Show crash. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Police have closed the affected road in both directions for the next few days as air crash investigators and emergency services comb the area.
Shoreham Airshow organisers tweeted that they had cancelled Sunday's programme and will release a full statement.
Resident and eyewitness David Penwarden, 51, told the BBC: "It just didn't seem to have enough speed to come out of the loop, instead of powering out it dropped too fast and hit the ground.
"There was a massive fireball and an awful lot of smoke. Afterwards there was a stunned silence."
Sources: BBC, Mail Online, Twitter
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