TWO CREW KILLED IN RAF FIGHTER CRASH

The F3 fighter smashed into a hillside at a beauty spot about 11.45am.

The plane was based at RAF Leuchars in Fife and was crewed by a pilot and a navigator.

The accident happened near the Rest And Be Thankful pass between Loch Long and Loch Fyne, in Glen Kinlass near Arrochar.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “It is with deep regret that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the deaths of two RAF aircrew from 43 Squadron, RAF Leuchars, in a Tornado F3 crash today. The crash is being investigated at the moment.”

Search and rescue helicopters from the HMS Gannett naval base and RAF Lossiemouth were scrambled to search the remote countryside for the wreckage and the crew. No civilians were hurt in the crash.

Witness Andy Graham, 60, 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 today they seemed to be flying much lower than normal. We watched them fly along the loch, up through the glen and towards Rest And Be Thankful.”

An RAF spokesman said there had been a small blaze at the scene.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said it had sent five fire appliances, two major incident units with heavy rescue equipment and a support unit to deal with hazardous materials. The crew have not yet been named.