Pilot in hospital after ejecting from fighter

Craig Penrice was flying a Hawker Hunter F6A jet back from a Northern Ireland airshow on Sunday when the incident occurred.

Witnesses described a loud bang, the pilot ejecting then the plane veering upwards into the sky, then crashing straight down.

Mr Penrice -- who tests the Eurofighter for BAe systems in Warton, spent around 30 minutes in the water before being saved by RAF Helicopter crews.

He was taken to hospital in Aberystwyth suffering from two fractured vertebrae and was later moved to Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

He had flown the jet away from populated areas after problems developed during the flight.

The jet belongs to the Exeter-based Hunter Flying Club which restores old hunter aircraft and uses them in air shows.

Mr Penrice lives with his wife and son in Lytham and works as a test pilot in Warton. He had previously flown for the RAF.

His RAF career saw him fly for Lightnings and was, on one occasion, forced to eject.

He also flew Hawk aircraft and spent time with the USAF flying the F-15 Eagle before returning to join the fast jet test squadron at Boscombe Down. He joined BAe after leaving the RAF in 1998 and has flown the hunter on several occasions.

The wrecked plane was built in 1956 and ended its active service in 1981. It was kept on by the RAF's engineering training team.

When it was declared surplus to requirements in 1994, it was snapped up by Hunter enthusiast, Peter Hellier, and joined the Hunter Flying Club fleet.

After substantial refurbishment, it performed its first test flight in 1998 and has since appeared at several air shows.

A statement on the club's website said: "Sadly our flagship Hunter F.6A XF516 crashed today (June 1 2003) off the Welsh Coast whilst en route back to Exeter after participating in the Port Rush Air Display.

"Pilot Craig Penrice ejected from the aircraft and is currently in hospital receiving treatment for his injuries.

"No further details are known at this point."