A Royal Air Force Hawk T2 crashed near RAF Valley on Anglesey, North Wales, on Wednesday after both crew members ejected under parachutes before impact. North Wales Police said the two pilots were being treated for what were thought to be minor injuries, with no wider damage or additional injuries reported, while the RAF opened an investigation into the incident.
Emergency services, including police, fire crews, ambulances and air assets, responded to the scene in the Pencarnisiog area near the base. The public was asked to avoid the area as responders secured the site and dealt with the aftermath of the crash.
Witness accounts and video footage circulating after the accident indicated the trainer aircraft struggled shortly after take-off before pitching up sharply and coming down in flames, although those details have not been confirmed by the RAF. The incident is the loss of a Hawk T2, the RAF’s advanced jet trainer used for fast-jet training, and comes at a time when the fleet has been under scrutiny over technical reliability and availability.