A classic Hawker Hunter plane was performing in an airshow on England’s south coast Saturday when it crashed into a crowded highway bypass, hitting cars and killing 11 people in its horrific wake.
The aircraft struck at least four automobiles on the A27 — a roadway near Brighton in Great Britain when it attempted a loop maneuver and fell from the sky and onto the busy road below. It was a part of the Shoreham airshow — an annual showcase in the area.
This from the New Zealand Herald:
The Hawker pilot was last night believed to be in a critical condition after being pulled from the wreckage.
It is the sixth disaster at an air show over the past seven years, resulting in a total of six deaths before yesterday’s incident, including a fatality in 2007 at the Shoreham event.
At the time of this post, 11 are being reported dead, but that number could rise in the coming days. Among them are two professional soccer players — Matthew Grimstone and Jacob Schilt. They were members of Worthing United FC, a team that competes in the Southern Combination Football League.
More from The Mirror:
Paying tribute to the young men, Gary Elphick, manager of rival team Worthing FC, told the Telegraph: “It’s just devastating news.
“We’re a football family on the South Coast so we’re all trying to pull together. These were two great young lads who have been taken from us far too soon.”
The disaster was recorded by a few onlookers, one with a dashcam and the other from afar with what appears to be a smartphone. Their grim footage is below (WARNING: It displays a deadly accident — viewer discretion is advised):