Body recovered after Hanningfield Reservoir aircraft crash

The body of a man has been found after a light aircraft crashed into a reservoir, police have said.

Essex Police has been at Hanningfield Reservoir, near Chelmsford, where the aircraft was seen entering the water shortly after 14:00 GMT on Sunday.

The force said a private aircraft, a Beagle B121 Pup, crashed and a body was recovered earlier from the reservoir by divers.

Ch Supt Waheed Khan said work would now take place to formally identify the man.

“My officers, the AAIB [Air Accidents Investigation Branch] and divers supporting from the Metropolitan Police Service continued to search the reservoir following activity late into Monday evening,” he said.

“Our inquiries identified the specific area we believe the aircraft entered the water, and using sonar equipment under the water, the teams methodically scanned the reservoir floor.

“This has resulted in the discovery of debris and, crucially, a body.

“We believe this is the body of the sole occupant of the aircraft and our search activity has therefore concluded.”

The officer added that a file was being prepared for the coroner.

The investigation has not identified any suspicious circumstances.

Essex Wildlife Trust, which manages a nature reserve at the reservoir, said the site would remain closed until further notice as it continued to support the police.

“We will update our website and Facebook page when we know more and hope to reopen soon. Thank you for your understanding,” it said.

The plane was understood to have taken off from North Weald Airfield, close to the M11 in Essex, at about 12:00 that day and had been bound for Southend Airport.

Richard Elkins, who lives near the reservoir, said he first knew something had happened when he heard sirens.

“We didn’t go out because by then it was starting to get dark… there was one fire engine, then a couple more, then the ambulance was coming and the helicopter flying overhead,” he told BBC Look East.

“Everything was blocked off so it wasn’t a case of going to see what had happened.

“It’s very sad to think that a plane had come down… other than that we didn’t know anything.”

Flowers have been left on a fence near the reservoir and people are being urged to avoid the area.

Hanningfield Reservoir, which is between Chelmsford, Billericay and Wickford, is owned and operated by Essex and Suffolk Water.

A spokesperson for the water firm said: “There has been no impact to customer water supplies and Essex & Suffolk water teams are managing the reservoir carefully to ensure that water quality and ecology are protected.”

The reservoir has a surface area of 870 acres (352 hectares).

Epping Forest District Council, which owns North Weald Airfield, said in a statement it was “extremely saddened” to hear of the fatality.

“We ask that you give the close-knit community associated with North Weald Airfield some space to comprehend what has happened and process this unfortunate event.

“News of this accident will have come as a shock to everyone.”

It added the council would “comply fully with any requests made of us” by the AAIB.