A British Royal Air Force ‘Hawk’ aircraft in the Red Arrows aerobatic squadron crashed to earth in the outskirts of Kasteli air strip on the Greek island of Crete just before 14:00 on Tuesday, possibly due to engine failure or a mid-air collision. The pilot managed to bail out to safety but the plane was destroyed on impact, the Greek Air Force General Staff announced.
The plane was part of a formation of nine aircraft that were in the air at the time. The other eight planes in the formation have landed safely at Iraklion airport on Crete. The Red Arrows team arrived on Crete at the weekend for the first stage of Exercise Springhawk, the RAF said.
With their trademark red, white and blue vapour trails, the Red Arrows are a familiar sight at British air displays.
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