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RAF pauses fighter jet training after two pilots eject from plane before crash
The service said it is pausing Hawk operations while investigators examine the crash and the pilots are treated for minor injuries.
Two RAF pilots ejected from a Hawk aircraft before it crashed near residential properties in the Pencarnisiog area of Anglesey. Video footage captured both pilots parachuting moments before the jet nosedived and burst into flames.
The Hawk T2 is used by the Royal Air Force for advanced jet training at RAF Valley, home of the Flying Training School, where UK fighter pilots prepare for complex tactical environments.
Eyewitness Ollie Zalot told the BBC he heard "all of a sudden I heard a bang up overhead." Witness Pete Bennett wrote on social media: "Just witnessed a RAF Hawk crash after takeoff, both pilots ejected safely."
North Wales Police confirmed the two pilots are being treated for minor injuries, with no reports of wider damage or ground injuries. The Wales Air Ambulance and Coastguard responded to the scene.
The Royal Air Force has paused Hawk operations following the incident. A spokesperson said: "An investigation is under way and we will not comment further at this time.
Hawk fighter aircraft training was temporarily stopped as "a precautionary measure," the British Air Force announced, after two pilots crashed just a few moments before their aircraft crashed and burst into flames, reports BBC.