Planes collide in mid-air
2010-09-05 07:51
London - Two people died after a mid-air collision by two light planes during an air race over the Isle of Wight, police said on Saturday.
The planes carried two people each. One was damaged but managed to continue safely to Bembridge airport, while the other came down in a remote wooded area.
"Both occupants of this second aircraft have now been confirmed dead," a spokesperson for Hampshire police said.
Due to the remote area of the crash, the plane and bodies would not be recovered until Sunday.
The propeller-driven planes were taking part in a race for the Rolls Royce Merlin Trophy, the Telegraph reported on its website.
The event is a precursor to the Schneider Trophy race, a high-profile competition for small planes which was due to start on Sunday but would now be cancelled, it said.