What We Know About the RAF Jet Crash Near Pencarnisiog, Anglesey

An RAF Hawk T2 training jet crashed near the village of Pencarnisiog on Anglesey on Wednesday after its two pilots ejected, according to the BBC. Both pilots — a trainee and an experienced instructor — were treated for minor injuries and are expected to make a full recovery, the RAF said in a statement reported by the BBC.

What happened during the RAF Hawk jet crash on Anglesey?

The aircraft had taken off from RAF Valley, the station on Anglesey where Hawk crews train, and was on what the Ministry of Defence describes as a sortie — one mission, one complete trip — when it went down, the BBC reported. Video shared on social media and cited by the BBC appeared to show the two pilots ejecting before the jet nosedived and crashed in flames. Separate footage showed smoke and flames near the rear of the jet as it rolled down the runway before takeoff, with the flames appearing to disappear as the aircraft climbed, according to the BBC's account.

Gp Capt Gez Currie, the RAF Valley station commander, told the BBC the aircraft "would have been aimed in a direction that the pilot believed was open field, in order to avoid built-up areas and anybody on the ground." Eyewitness Ollie Zalot told the BBC he was initially concerned people on the ground could have been hurt because the crash happened near buildings. Anglesey councillor Neville Evans called it a "very lucky escape considering how close" the crash site was to a village and caravan park, the BBC reported.

Why did the pilots eject before the crash?

Currie declined to detail the sequence that led to the ejection, telling the BBC the investigation was in its early stages and "it's far too early to even suggest what has happened in this occasion." Mikey Kay, a BBC security analyst and former RAF service member of 20 years, told the broadcaster it was possible the crash was not caused by an engine failure, though he stressed that judgment was preliminary.

What is established, per the RAF statement relayed by the BBC, is that the flight paired a trainee pilot with a highly experienced instructor on what Currie described as "a routine sortie, across the Anglesey area." No further technical detail on the ejection sequence has been released.

What has the RAF said about the pilots' condition?

The RAF said in its statement, as reported by the BBC, that "both pilots are doing well, they are in extremely good spirits and expected to make a full recovery." Currie told the BBC the pilots are in hospital, being cared for, and are with their families; he declined to release personal details about either service member.

By the numbers

• 1 — number of times Currie says he has experienced an incident like this in his 30-year career as an air traffic controller.
• 2.5 — years Currie has served as RAF Valley station commander.
• 2 — pilots aboard the aircraft, both of whom ejected before impact.

What is being investigated, and what remains unknown?

A formal investigation into the circumstances of the crash is under way, the RAF said, according to the BBC. Currie told the BBC that in his two-and-a-half years as station commander, and across his 30-year career as an air traffic controller, "this is the first time I've experienced this." No cause has been confirmed, and officials have not said whether mechanical failure, a technical fault, or another factor was involved. Kay's comments to the BBC about a possible non-engine cause remain speculative pending the formal inquiry.

What happens next for RAF training flights?

As a precautionary measure, the RAF has paused Hawk T1 and Hawk T2 flying operations, the BBC reported. That pause extends to the Red Arrows aerobatics display team, which flies the Hawk T1, according to the BBC. No timeline for resuming flights has been announced.

What to watch

• Findings from the formal RAF investigation into the crash's cause
• Any update on when Hawk T1 and T2 flights, including Red Arrows training, will resume
• Further detail on the pilots' recovery and return to duty
• Whether investigators identify a mechanical, procedural, or other factor in the incident

The BBC's original report, including video of the crash and interviews with Currie and eyewitnesses, is available on BBC News.

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.