Emergency services employed a Terex all-terrain telescopic boom crane from a UK equipment rental company Southern Cranes & Access to lift the wreckage of a 1950s Hawker Hunter fighter-jet that crashed this week at the Shoreham Air Show.
The accident claimed at least 11 lives after the jet attempted to loop but hit the busy adjacent A27 highway into Brighton and burst into flames – leaving investigators scrambling to determine the cause of the incident.
The Terex crane used in the operation was likely either the 35t Terex ATT350 (with a 34m reach) or the 40t Terex AC35 (with a 38m reach) listed on the fleet roster of Southern Cranes, which is based in Slinfold, Horsham, West Sussex.
“As a result of lifting the jet, we have not discovered any evidence of further victims and our estimate of 11 highly likely victims remains in place,” Assistant Chief Constable Steve Barry said.
“However, until we have fully completed the search of what is an extensive scene, I must caution that there is still the possibility that we may discover evidence of further victims, but I am not prepared to speculate on that figure.”
Around 300 officers and support staff have continued to investigate the site where 51-year-old pilot Andy Hill, who remains in hospital in a critical condition, crashed.
