Two pilots eject and parachute out of RAF plane before crash

Two RAF pilots ejected and parachuted out of their plane before the training aircraft crashed.

North Wales Police said the pilots of the RAF T2 Hawk aircraft were being treated for minor injuries following the incident in the Pencarnisiog area of Anglesey.

The force said helicopters from the Coastguard and the Wales Air Ambulance were sent to the scene close to RAF Valley on the island. The pilots have been taken to Birmingham for treatment.

The Ministry of Defence has been asked to comment.

"Two pilots are being treated for what are thought to be minor injuries and at this stage there are no reports of any wider damage or injuries," North Wales Police said.

"Please avoid the area until further notice."

The two air ambulances which were at the scene of the Hawk T2 crash in Llanfaelog have both landed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, home of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM).

The Royal Air Force said: "An incident involving an RAF T2 Hawk aircraft, flying out of RAF Valley.

"An investigation is under way and we will not comment further at this time."

One eyewitness told North Wales Live he had watched the aircraft take off before the crash.

Pete Bennett said: "I knew straight away that it was in trouble – right on take-off there was an orange flame and as it accelerated it was basically on fire.

"As it gained altitude the flame disappeared but it was clearly in trouble.

"It climbed at an aggressive pitch… It pitched twice violently in the air and then there were two clear loud bangs.

"The pilots ejected and both parachutes opened."

RAF Valley was where the Prince of Wales was based as a search and rescue pilot from 2010 to 2013.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting posted on X: "An investigation is under way.

"My thoughts are first and foremost with the pilots. We will provide further updates in due course."