Horror as airplane crashes into Isle of Wight vacation park and erupts into fireball

A plane has crashed into a popular UK holiday park, sparking a huge fireball and sending huge plumes of smoke into the air. Police were called to the scene at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight just before 2.30pm today.

The light aircraft is understood to have had two people on board at the time of the crash, according to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. They both suffered minor injuries.

James Lowe, a sales manager from Horsham in Sussex said he witnessed the plane come over his head and heard the engine cut out. Mr Lowe, a head coach for a local under-13s rugby club, was in the Isle of Wight accompanying a group on a rugby tour. “We were outside the restaurant at the top of the holiday park watching our kids playing archery,” Mr Lowe said.

“I’ve just passed my Private Pilot’s License (PPL) so we were talking about planes and watching the planes take off also. This plane came over our heads and the engine cut out.

“They then turned back to the airport but lost a lot of altitude and we could see it was going to crash into the holiday park. Myself and another Dad ran to help. Thank goodness the pilot and passenger had been pulled to safety.”

Firefighters from Newport and Ryde were dispatched shortly before 2.30pm and on arriving, found the aircraft “had suffered extensive damage from the impact and subsequent fire”, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Services said.

“All occupants had safely exited the aircraft before emergency services arrived”, it added. Inspector Alex Dale said the plane had taken off from Bembridge Airport, banked around and then clipped a chimney before crashing near the chalets at the holiday park, according to Isle of Wight County Press.

The inspector said the plane burst into flames and bystanders rushed to pull out two people, the news outlet reported. An ambulance plane attended and no patients were taken to hospital, Isle of Wight NHS Trust said.

The fire service added: “Two individuals sustained minor injuries and were treated by paramedics at the scene. Firefighters used a hose reel jet and a thermal imaging camera to ensure the fire was fully extinguished.” Firefighters stood down and returned to their stations at 3.45pm. The holiday park remains open and no roads have been closed, police said.

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