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RAF mourning crew of Tornado crash
03.07.09
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The RAF has been mourning the loss of two air crew after their Tornado fighter jet crashed near a beauty spot.
A major search was launched after the jet smashed into a hill near Arrochar, Argyll, on during a routine training flight.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed the deaths of two air crew from 43 Squadron based at RAF Leuchars near St Andrews.
He said: "At the moment our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and colleagues of the two aircrew who lost their lives. The crash is being investigated at the moment. There will be a service inquiry held by the RAF."
The accident happened close to the Rest And Be Thankful tourist spot on the A83, west of Loch Lomond.
Search and rescue helicopters from the HMS Gannett naval base and RAF Lossiemouth were scrambled to search the remote countryside for the wreckage.
Investigations continued on Friday in a bid to establish the cause of the crash.
Witnesses said planes appeared to have been flying much lower than usual.
Andy Graham, 60, a retired rigger who moved to Arrochar three years ago, said he saw two Tornados flying low in the area around lunchtime on Thursday. He said: "We get jets flying over here on training exercises quite regularly. It's not unusual to see them and you definitely hear them. But they seemed to be flying much lower than normal."
The F3 came into service with the RAF in the 1980s. The pilot in the front seat flies the aircraft, while the rear seat weapons systems officer controls the radar and defensive countermeasures systems.
