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Shoreham Airshow crash: Witness who shot video showing aftermath of incident describes scene as 'like a war film'

The Hawker Hunter jet crashed into several cars as it hit the A27

Kashmira Gander
Sunday 23 August 2015 10:55 EDT
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Aftermath of Shoreham Air Show crash

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A witness of the fatal Shoreham Air Show plane crash, who shot footage showing its aftermath, has described the resulting scene as "absolute carnage" and "like a war film."

Lee Allwright was among the hundreds of spectators who had gathered to watch the hugely popular annual Royal Air Force show, and witnessed the tragic incident which left 11 dead and the pilot fighting for his life.

Members of the emergency services are seen navigating a fire and debris in Allwright's video, after a Hawker Hunter jet ploughed into several cars as it hit the A27 on Saturday, at around 1:20pm.

Men are shown in video asking officials whether they have checked the wreckage of a car for victims.

Pilot in critical condition after being pulled from wreckageFirst victims of Shoreham Airshow crash named

Allwright, who was around 100 metres from the crash when the plane failed a loop-the-loop manouvre, told The Telegraph the scene was "literally like a war film".

"There was just smoke, fire, debris everywhere," he said, and went on to describe the "intense heat" he felt on his face when the plane went up into flames.

Specialist teams have worked overnight into Sunday afternoon to remove bodies from the scene of the collision.

Sussex Police Assistant Chief Constable Steve Barry said police had identified 11 people they were treating as “highly likely to have died in this tragedy”, but said they could not yet formally identify the bodies.

Smoke fills the air after the plane crash (Image: EPA)
Smoke fills the air after the plane crash (Image: EPA) (EPA)

Emergency services and crash investigation officers work at the site where a Hawker Hunter fighter jet crashed onto the A27 road at Shoreham near Brighton
Emergency services and crash investigation officers work at the site where a Hawker Hunter fighter jet crashed onto the A27 road at Shoreham near Brighton (REUTERS/Luke Macgregor)

Those investigating the crash have said they are maintaining an open mind about who has been involved in the crash, as they continue to receive calls for concerned friends and relatives.

Sussex Police have confirmed that personal trainer Matt Jones, 24, and Worthing United footballers Matthew Grimstone, 23, and Jacob Schilt are among the victims who died.

Floral tributes are left near the site where a Hawker Hunter fighter jet crashed onto the A27 road at Shoreham near Brighton, Britain August 23, 2015. A jet aircraft ploughed into several cars on a busy road near an airshow in southern England on Saturday, killing at least seven people, police said.
Floral tributes are left near the site where a Hawker Hunter fighter jet crashed onto the A27 road at Shoreham near Brighton, Britain August 23, 2015. A jet aircraft ploughed into several cars on a busy road near an airshow in southern England on Saturday, killing at least seven people, police said. (REUTERS/Luke MacGregor)

A message is seen on a floral tribute left near the site of the crash (Image: Reuters)
A message is seen on a floral tribute left near the site of the crash (Image: Reuters) (REUTERS/Luke MacGregor)

The footage was published on YouTube as police urged people to be considerate of those still seeking information on potential victims before they post “extremely graphic” images online.

Officers went on to remind those with photographs and videos of the incident that they “may be of use to investigators.”

In a statement, Sussex Police said: "It is not our place to dictate what may or may not be published anywhere, but from a personal perspective I would ask people to consider the feelings of those who have lost loved ones in this incident and, indeed, who may still not have heard from them and are seeking information.

"In the aftermath of the accident, we received a lot of calls from people who were worried about relatives and friends. We are working through these, but if the person you called us about has now turned up, please let us know so that we can remove them from our list."

Anyone with information can call 101 or 01273 470101 or they can email their images - to shoreham.aircrash2015sussex.pnn.police.uk - to the force.

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