A Beagle B121 Pup plane crashed shortly after taking off from North Weald Airfield near Havering on Sunday, December 28. The small aircraft went down close to Hanningfield Reservoir, prompting a large emergency response before noon.
Police were alerted to the serious incident shortly after 2pm. Following a thorough search, divers recovered the body of a man from the reservoir on December 30. He is believed to be the sole occupant of the crashed plane.
Chief Superintendent Waheed Khan stated: “I would firstly like to recognise that someone has lost their life in tragic circumstances. Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this incident.”
He added that the identification process is being handled sensitively with the HM Coroner, and no official confirmation will be made until that is complete.
The search operation involved police officers, the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB), Metropolitan Police divers, and sonar equipment scanning the reservoir floor.
Essex Police confirmed that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the crash. An official report is being prepared for the coroner as investigations continue.
Essex and Suffolk Water reassured local residents that the reservoir crash has not impacted the water supply. A spokesperson said: “Essex and Suffolk water teams are managing the reservoir carefully to ensure that water quality and ecology are protected.”
Chief Superintendent Khan praised the collaborative effort, saying: “This was highly-detailed work by specialists from multiple agencies. I’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we carried out this search.”
Responsibility for further recovery and management of the reservoir now lies with the site owners as investigations proceed.
Originally published by UKNIP.
