PORTHCAWL, Wales, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Two British air force pilots and two cadets died Wednesday when their small airplanes collided in midair during a training flight in Wales, officials said.
The Guardian reported Thursday that after the two propeller-driven aircraft took off from the Royal Air Force's St. Athan training base in south Wales, witnesses reported the planes' wings touched, sending them crashing to the ground in Porthcawl.
"Four members of the RAF family have tragically lost their lives. Those who died were two members of the RAF and two Air Training Corps cadets," said RAF Group Capt. Andy Naismith. "The next of kin have all been informed."
The planes were Grob Tutors, which are twin-seat light aircraft.
Rina Callingham saw the crash.
"I thought to myself that I didn't realize they flew so close together. I watched them for a few minutes and then the second one just hit him. I just couldn't believe it," she said. "At first there wasn't an explosion straightaway, but then there was. They just went down."
