[Red Moon]

Red Arrow crashes during Bournemouth Air Festival

Red Arrows at Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 14 August 2011 Nine aircraft were taking part in the display but only eight landed safely afterwards

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A Red Arrow aeroplane has crashed in Dorset following a display at the Bournemouth Air Festival.

The fire service confirmed they were called to an air crash at 13:50 BST near Bournemouth International Airport.

A BBC producer at the scene said he saw only eight of the nine Red Arrows RAF display team's aircraft land on the runway at the annual event.

They had earlier taken part in a display over the seafront. No details are known about possible casualties.

BBC South Today producer Martin Webster said the plane was thought to have crashed in an open area at Throop village, near the Castlepoint shopping centre.

'Siren went off'

Shaun Spencer-Perkins, who witnessed the crash from Throop Mill, said: "I heard a rushing sound and I saw a plane about 15m above the ground racing across the fields.

"It impacted and bounced across the field, made it across the river.

"Members of the public jumped into the water to search for the cockpit.

"We waved down the helicopter, I took off my son's orange jacket and my wife's red jumper to get the attention of the helicopter."

Darren Blakeman, who was watching the display, described what he saw: "We watched nine Red Arrows take off, then they did an approach from the south of the runway, they did a little display.

"After that display only eight of the airplanes landed and then there was a big siren went off at the airport, like an emergency sound, and there was a big yellow fire truck parked in the viewing area and then that rushed off with its blue lights going.

"From my scene here I can see a police helicopter and a coastguard helicopter and they're hovering in the air above the site."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We can confirm that we are aware of an incident involving one of the Red Arrows and we are investigating."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14602900