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By: - 12th April 2007 at 19:48 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
A German Tornado crashed in the Swiss Alps after refuelling at Emmen. One crew member in hospital and one missing.:(
By: - 12th April 2007 at 19:52 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
1 Crewmember (pilot, 26 years old) dead, 1 crewmember (WSO, capitan, born 1973) injured in hospital
My deepest regards to families and friends!!!
Picture:
http://media.espace.ch/images/396616_jet.jpg
Source: http://www.espace.ch/artikel_358329.html
Aircraft:
GAF Tornado 46+47 from Jagdbombergeschwader 32
Source: Flugzeugforum.de
German Military Jet Crashes in Switzerland; One Dead (Update3)By Claudia Rach and Jacob Greber
April 12 (Bloomberg) -- A German military jet crashed into a mountain in Switzerland today, killing one pilot and injuring a second, according to the German Defense Ministry.
The aircraft, a Tornado fighter jet, crashed into the Bernese Alps shortly before 3 p.m. local time, a statement posted on the Bern police Web site said. Eyewitnesses said the aircraft flew into the north face of the Aebniflue mountain, ``followed by an explosion,'' according to police.
One pilot was rescued by helicopter from a glacier below the crash site at 4:25 p.m. local time, police said. The other pilot was killed at the scene, a German Defense Ministry spokesman who declined to be identified said. The cause of the accident was not yet know, he said.
Germany dispatched six Tornado fighter jets ten days ago to help NATO's mission in Afghanistan in a step which has split public and political opinion over the country's growing list of military engagements. Military matters are particularly sensitive in Germany because of the country's history and later pacifism as enshrined in the post-World War II constitution.
The jet was not part of the Afghanistan contingent, the ministry spokesman said. The Tornado was on its way back from an exercise on the French island of Corsica, N-TV television reported, citing the Swiss Defense Ministry.
Swiss police said the aircraft had refueled in Switzerland earlier in the day. A paraglider said he saw the aircraft flying ``very low'' before the pilots ejected, Swiss state television SF1 reported. The injured pilot is now in hospital.
The crash occurred in the Lauterbrunnen valley in the canton of Bern, between the villages Aebniflue and Mattaghorn, police said.
The Aebniflu, near the Eiger, is 3,962 meters high, and is a popular recreation area. It overlooks the Lauterbrunnen valley, which is home to the Wengen and Murren ski resorts.
Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=a3wDghGT34cE
More news will follow!!!
By: - 12th April 2007 at 23:07 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
R.I.P.
By: - 13th April 2007 at 00:44 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
R.I.P., that is saddening.:(
By: - 13th April 2007 at 01:09 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
:( Sad.
The ejection sequence has the WSO seat fire before the pilot's seat to prevent the WSO from being killed by the rocket motor plume on the pilot's seat.
By: - 13th April 2007 at 08:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Accident in swiss mountains
In this article
http://www.tages-anzeiger.ch/dyn/news/schweiz/740267.html
It is said the Tornado flew at 1200 - 1300 m height (above see level), which must looks as shown bellow.
Swiss military pilot Rudolf Läubli (who I happen to know myself) mentioned that the Swiss airforce would not fly that low through a mountain valley!
By: - 13th April 2007 at 15:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The photo
What is that in the top left is that a seat and is that blood in the snow??:eek:
That photo is terrible considering a crewman lost his life!!:mad:
By: - 13th April 2007 at 16:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
What is that in the top left is that a seat and is that blood in the snow??:eek:
That photo is terrible considering a crewman lost his life!!:mad:
Fighting Irish.
Can you review the original of that picture and, if the content is as Peter suggests, remove it please.
Moggy
Moderator
By: - 13th April 2007 at 18:14 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi folks,
I have edited my last post on this thread.
Showing pictures of the crash site, discussing what we see and not, or even speculating about the cause of the crash, is not appropriate at this moment.
The WSO, a capitan, born 1973, was injured and was retrieved by a mountain rescue team. My deepest respect to that helicopter rescue team!!!
Swiss and German authorities are working together to find out the cause of the crash.
By: - 14th April 2007 at 01:09 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Well done fighting irish
Best action for respect of the crew. Heres hoping the injured flight crew person recovers and I tip my hat to the rescue crew for their efforts in executing a recovery in difficult conditions.
By: - 14th April 2007 at 14:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hello,
May he rest in peace.
And may the WSO recover well.
I haven't seen the crash site and I'm a bit confused.
On the one hand, there is talk of flying low in the valley.
On the other hand, there is talk of snow and difficult rescue conditions. Throughout this winter, I have seen weather reports that said that the skiers had to go really high to find some snow.
Is there more snow in Switserland at this moment than I was aware of? Or did they crash quite high up the mountains?
Is the location about at the level of Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, or even higher than Wengen?
Cheers, Transall.
By: - 15th April 2007 at 09:13 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hello,May he rest in peace.
And may the WSO recover well.I haven't seen the crash site and I'm a bit confused.
On the one hand, there is talk of flying low in the valley.
On the other hand, there is talk of snow and difficult rescue conditions. Throughout this winter, I have seen weather reports that said that the skiers had to go really high to find some snow.
Is there more snow in Switserland at this moment than I was aware of? Or did they crash quite high up the mountains?
Is the location about at the level of Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, or even higher than Wengen?Cheers, Transall.
Hello Transall
In the first pic you see the crash site, and the second one (the section of the map), shows that it is at about 3500 m. above see level in a very steep wall of rocks. Lauterbunnen is at 800, Mürren at 1600m. So the pilot must have tried to climb out of the valley. The WSO was hanging in his parachute up in the rocks, this made the rescue action so difficult.
By: - 15th April 2007 at 14:03 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for the clarifications, Coach.
Hats off to the mountain rescue people.
Cheers, Transall.
By: - 15th April 2007 at 16:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
What is that in the top left is that a seat and is that blood in the snow??:eek:
That photo is terrible considering a crewman lost his life!!:mad:
The red thing was the parashoot. The pilot payed the price for an error.
http://map.search.ch/stechelberg?poi=-
To go to Sitten (VS) he had to turn to the SW and not to the SE. The WISO may tell, why they did so.
By: - 15th April 2007 at 21:57 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
NZZ reports that pilot probably disregarded recommendations
Todays NZZ am Sonntag reports that the Swiss Air Force recommended an altitude of 500m - 1000m above ground in their briefing with the German pilot prior to the fatal flight, due to cables and heavy paraglider/ helicopter activity. Unfortunately the pilot seems to have disregarded these recommendations. :(
Posts: 8,849
By: Newforest - 12th April 2007 at 17:06
Breaking news from CNN that a military plane from Germany crashed in Switzerland today, 12th April. No more details available yet.