Footage captured the dramatic moment two Royal Air Force pilots ejected from a training aircraft just moments before it crashed and erupted in a fireball in Wales.
The incident involving a Hawk T2 aircraft occurred near Anglesey on Wednesday, shortly after the pilots had departed from the RAF Valley base located in the northwestern part of the country.
In an official statement, the RAF confirmed that both pilots are in good condition and high spirits, with expectations of a full recovery. A formal investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the incident, and as a precaution, the military branch has temporarily suspended all Hawk T1 and Hawk T2 flight operations.
A Royal Air Force Hawk T2 training aircraft crashed in Wales on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (Danni Jones via Storyful)
Local resident Danni Jones captured footage of the event, which was obtained by Storyful, showing the pilots parachuting safely through the air as a massive fireball erupted in the countryside.
The Royal Air Force notes that the Hawk T2 is a high-performance, two-seat training jet equipped with advanced avionics and synthetic radar designed to simulate front-line combat aircraft, such as the Typhoon.
The Royal Air Force BAE Systems Hawk T2 is seen at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, on July 20, 2024. (NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Primarily utilized by the RAF for advanced jet training, the aircraft is engineered to prepare pilots for highly complex tactical environments.
The exact cause of Wednesday’s crash remains under investigation and is not yet clear.
A Royal Air Force British Aerospace Hawk T2 flies along the Machynlleth Loop, a set of valleys in north Wales where pilots train in low-level flying, on March 27, 2023. (AFP via Getty Images)
RAF Valley on Anglesey serves as the home to No 4 Flying Training School, which is responsible for preparing the United Kingdom’s next generation of elite fighter pilots. The facility also provides essential training for aircrew in mountain and maritime operations globally.
