Crew of 7 Thought Dead in Air Show Crash

A British warplane performing at an air show plunged into Lake Ontario and burst apart Saturday, sending up a plume of water and debris in front of more than 10,000 horrified spectators on shore.

The seven crew members aboard all were presumed dead, a Canadian Defense Department official said.

The four-engine Royal Air Force Nimrod, flying at the Canadian National Exhibition, swooped low over the lake and was making a steep turn when it crashed about 1 1/2 miles from shore, according to spectators.

“It hit the water with a huge splash. It sort of belly-flopped,” said Paul Loong, a witness.

Some said the plane, which was demonstrating its ability to evade heat-seeking missiles, had dropped flares before it crashed. Others said a cargo door appeared to be open.

Loong said the plane continued to bank and then started falling.

The pilot appeared to turn abruptly to avoid a line of boats on the lake, said Victor Ciaccia, a retired pilot from Rochester, N.Y.

Small children stood watching with their hands over their mouths, parents gripping their shoulders. Some witnesses said they saw objects the color of orange life jackets in the water.

As the plane sank, police and military helicopters and boats raced out from shore. Divers jumped from the helicopters into the water, where pieces of the plane were floating.

The Nimrod, used for reconnaissance and marine patrols, can carry a crew of 12, but the Royal Air Force said seven people were aboard for Saturday’s flight.

Air Vice Marshal Peter Squire of the RAF said it was too early to say what caused the crash. He said the crew members--based in Finloss, Scotland--were veterans of air show maneuvers.

Air show President Don Chapman said the event had been suspended until an investigation into the crash is completed.