Plane crashes into beach as pilot forced to 'crawl from wreckage'

A plane has crashed into a popular UK beach, with its pilot forced to crawl from the wreckage into the water. 

The light aircraft nosedived into the sea at Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, at around 4.15pm on Saturday, just feet from the shingle, to the horror of nearby beachgoers.

Witnesses saw the plane flying unusually low before hitting the surf with a loud crash, as bystanders rushed to help and pulled the pilot out of the waves onto the rocks. 

Emergency services, including the coastguard and air ambulance, descended on the seafront where he was thankfully found unscathed. 

He was the only passenger and was soon checked over by paramedics once he made it to the shore.  

Firefighters winched the aircraft, which bizarrely appeared largely undamaged, on to the beach. A police cordon remains in place. 

Bystander Ellie Chapman said: 'I was by the beach looking at the free books when I heard a loud crashing sound from the rocks.

'When I turned around, the plane was already in the water, with the tail briefly lifted before it dropped down, suggesting it had gone in nose first.

'There was no noise from the aircraft beforehand, so the crash came without warning. 

'I saw the pilot crawl out into the water, and people helped him onto the rocks.

'Everyone looked stunned, some rushed over to help while others stood in shock, myself included.'

County councillor Graham Burgess, who lives in Lee-on-the-Solent, said: 'I'm aware that a plane crashed just a few feet from the shingle on the waterfront.

'I understand and am very grateful to hear that the pilot got out okay. The pictures are very shocking.'

The Conservative representative for Lee continued: 'It only appears to be a small light plane and I'm not sure what airfield the plane was attempting to get to.

'The plane does not appear to be too damaged so it makes you wonder how such a crash has occurred.'

Fellow councillor Stevyn Ricketts said: 'I was out in my ward of Lee-on-the-Solent today and could hear all the emergency sirens going off across the town.

'I headed to the seafront and saw the damage luckily the pilot got out unscathed and enjoyed a nice cup of coffee while the emergency services dealt with the incident.'

The Conservative member for Lee West continued: 'Just 30 minutes before the plane crash I was walking along exactly where it came down so I'm very glad nobody else was injured as it was busy due to the nice weather.

'Eyewitnesses told me that the plane was coming down very low before it crashed.

'Police put a cordon in place and Hampshire fire winched the plane up the beach.

'As a local councillor, I want to say a big thank you to the emergency services for their quick response.'

A spokesperson for HM Coastguard told the Daily Mail: 'HM Coastguard received reports of a light aircraft ditching in the water off Lee-on-the-Solent at around 16:15 today (February 28). 

'Hill Head Coastguard Rescue Team, Hamble Lifeboat, a coastguard helicopter, an air ambulance, South Central Ambulance Service, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, and Hampshire Police were sent.

'The pilot, who was the only person onboard, was able to self-recover to the beach and was checked over by the ambulance service.'

Hampshire Police, South Central Ambulance Service, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance have been contacted for comment.