Shoreham air crash: Inquest into deaths opened

Two police officers are under investigation for gross misconduct after they allegedly took video 'selfies' at the scene of the Shoreham air crash and sent them to a colleague via social media.

Eleven people were killed when the Hawker Hunter jet came down on the A27 - during an airshow - last month.

Tonight the force has apologised to the victims' families - as Malcolm Shaw reports.

Interviewees: Dep Ch Con Olivia Pinkney, Tim Loughton MP, and Katy Bourne, Police and Crime Commissioner.

The Air Accident Investigation Bureau has revealed initial details of the Shoreham Air crash. Eleven people died when a fighter jet crashed onto the A27. Our reporter John Ryall reports from the scene.

The pilot of the Hawker Hunter jet which crashed at the Shoreham Airshow - killing 11 people on the ground - was 'in good spirits' before the flight.

The initial report into the accident, on the A27 in Sussex, has been released by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), based in Farnborough.

It said Andy Hill had carried out a pre-flight check and signed the log to say the plane was safe to fly. There were no reported defects.

He requested the plane be re-fuelled to its maximum capacity and, says the report, he had been in good spirits and was looking forward to the flight.

The AAIB says it is analysing audio recordings between air traffic control and the pilot as well as video footage taken before and during the crash.

Cockpit cameras reveal no 'abnormal indications' and was responding to the pilot's control inputs when the crash happened.

The plane broke into four main pieces. the pilot and his seat were thrown clear of the plane.

Wreckage from the crash has been sent to the AAIB's headquarters in Farnborough, Hampshire.

The victims have been named as retired engineer James Graham Mallinson, 72, from Newick, near Lewes; window cleaner and general builder Mark Trussler, 54, from Worthing; cycling friends Dylan Archer, 42, from Brighton, and Richard Smith, 26, from Hove; NHS manager Tony Brightwell, 53, from Hove; grandfather Mark Reeves, 53, from Seaford; Worthing United footballers Matthew Grimstone and Jacob Schilt, both 23; personal trainer Matt Jones, 24; wedding chauffeur Maurice Abrahams, 76; and Daniele Polito, 23, from Worthing.

The 11th victim of the Shoreham Air crash was named today: James Graham Mallinson was 72 years old and from Newick.

A minute's silence was held at the opening of an inquest which some of the victims' families attended.

How the crash happened, however, may not be known until next June. Andy Dickenson reports.

The West Sussex coroner Penelope Schofield today said she will hold a "full and fearless" inquiry into the Shoreham air crash, which claimed 11 lives.

At the opening of the inquests into the tragedy, she said: "This was the single largest loss of life on my jurisdiction since I took up office in 2008."

The last victim of the crash to be named has been described by his family as the "kindest and most generous man".

Graham Mallinson, aged 72, from Newick in East Sussex, was watching the airshow from the A27 when the vintage Hawker Hunter jet failed to pull out of a loop stunt, crashing to the ground.

As well as Mr Mallinson, the 10 other victims were named as: window cleaner and general builder Mark Trussler, 54, from Worthing; cycling friends Dylan Archer, 42, from Brighton, and Richard Smith, 26, from Hove; NHS manager Tony Brightwell, 53, from Hove; grandfather Mark Reeves, 53, from Seaford; Worthing United footballers Matthew Grimstone and Jacob Schilt, both 23; personal trainer Matt Jones, 24; wedding chauffeur Maurice Abrahams, 76; and Daniele Polito, 23, from Worthing.

The jet's pilot, Andrew Hill, was left fighting for his life, and has been moved to a specialist hospital for treatment. The plane wreckage has been sent to Farnborough, Hampshire, where AAIB investigators are seeking to find out what caused the crash.

The inquest into the deaths of 11 people who died in the Shoreham air crash has been opened and adjourned.

11 people were killed when a Hawker Hunter jet crashed during a display at the Shoreham Airshow on Saturday 22 August.

They have been named as Maurice Rex Abrahams, Dylan Archer, Anthony David Brightwell, Matthew James Grimstone, Matthew Wesley Jones, James Graham Mallinson, Daniele Gaetano Polito, Mark Alexander Reeves, Jacob Henry Schilt, Richard Jonathan Smith and Mark James Trussler.

West Sussex Senior Coroner Penelope Schofield, sitting at County Hall North in Horsham, adjourned the inquest today to 22 March 2016 for a pre inquest review. This is pending the results of the investigation by Sussex Police and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

A one minute silence was held at the start of the proceedings in memory of those who were killed.

The family of Graham Mallinson, who died at the Shoreham air crash while watching the airshow from the A27, has issued the following tribute.

Mr Mallinson, was a 72-year-old retired engineer from Newick in East Sussex was a passionate steam railway enthusiast and brilliant photographer.

"He was the kindest and most generous man, who regularly gave his time to help others. Always loyal and reliable, he was a private and loving family man with a great sense of humour. A very caring husband and father who was dearly loved, he will be very sorely missed by all his family and the wide circle of friends who had the good fortune to know him."Educated at Dulwich College, he joined Tannoy in the 1960s - moving on to hold various posts in the electronics industry until his retirement. As a highly respected engineer, he was a perfectionist in everything he did and this carried through into his private life, including photography.

"He was a life member and active volunteer of the Bluebell Railway, contributing a wealth of knowledge and experience over many years.

"More recently he developed an interest in photographing vintage aircraft and was at Shoreham to capture one of the last flights of the Vulcan bomber.

"He loved driving and covered thousands of miles throughout the UK- from the Scottish Highlands to the West Country - in his pursuit of steam.His hobby also took him overseas to South Africa as well as Ireland, Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight.

"He was at the right place at the wrong time, doing what he loved best on a beautiful summer's day."

The inquest into the deaths of the 11 Shoreham air disaster victims will be opened today.

All the victims' names will be officially released during today's hearing at County Hall North in Horsham, West Sussex.

Eleven people died when the vintage aircraft crashed on the A27 more than a week ago.

Families of those who died have been invited to the opening of the inquiry by West Sussex senior coroner Penelope Schofield's office.

Due to ongoing investigations by the Air Accident Investigation Branch, the inquest will be adjourned to a later date.

Tributes have been paid to Sussex man killed in the Shoreham air crash.

Mark Reeves, who was 53, died while taking photographs of the planes at the airshow.

In a statement his family said: "We will remember him as a gentle, loving, incredibly giving family man, husband to Wendy, father to Luke, granddad to three beautiful grand-daughters, brother to Denise and loving son of Ann and Kenneth.

"With his family he moved to Seaford nine years ago, drawn by our love of the sea and for Mark in particular, love of the sun.

"He was a sun worshipper and an enthusiastic holidaymaker, travelling to Fuerteventura and Madeira in recent years and would often be seen relaxing with a cocktail in hand.

"He worked as a CAD technician in West London and lived life to the full, parachuting and abseiling for cancer charities and also having a go at para-gliding and gliding.

"He will be missed by so many, not least the doctors and staff at the Seaford medical practice where Wendy works, who, like everyone who met Mark, were touched by his generosity, caring nature and overwhelmingly genuine, caring nature.

"We thank everyone who has sent their love, condolences and prayers."