Search and rescue efforts to locate two missing Royal Air Force Panavia Tornado GR4 aircrew following a training incident off the Scottish coast on 2 July have now been abandoned. The RAF warns there is "no expectation" of finding the two crew members alive.
 |
|---|
Crown Copyright |
Meanwhile, the RAF has confirmed that one crew member, who was rescued from the Moray Firth, has since died. A second man remains in hospital in a stable but serious condition.
Gp Capt Ian Gale, station commander of RAF Lossiemouth, says: "Two personnel remain unaccounted for. Due to extremely poor weather conditions in the area, the RAF and Her Majesty's Coastguard have made a joint decision not to resume search and rescue operations.
"The operation will be resumed as a recovery operation as soon as possible, but we must be realistic: given the length of time that has elapsed since the accident, there is no expectation of recovering missing personnel alive."
Gale did not identify the dead crewman, but says he is from 15(R) Sqn, based at RAF Lossiemouth.
Source: Flight International
