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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Adam Withnall

US pilot killed after F18 military jet crashes near RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk

A US military jet has crashed near an RAF base in Suffolk, killing the aircraft's lone pilot.

The single-seater F-18 jet came down in fields northwest of RAF Lakenheath shortly after leaving the base on Wednesday morning.

While US military sources and the MoD confirmed the crash had taken place, local police investigating at the scene told reporters the pilot had been killed.

The crash occurred at Redmere, near Ely, on the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border. 

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Police said: "We can confirm that the aircraft was a military aircraft.

"It had taken off from RAF Lakenheath. There is believed to have been one person on board, and there has been one confirmed fatality."

Map showing reported location of plane crash at Redmere, between Ely and RAF Lakenheath

US military sources confirmed the crash, and said they are still working to establish the details of what happened.

Cambridgeshire Police said earlier that emergency services were at the scene near RAF Lakenheath, which despite its name is operated by the US military.

A spokesman for the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said they were called to reports of an aircraft crash just after 10.30am on Wednesday. "We have two crews at the scene at the moment but there is no sign of any firefighting action taking place," he said.

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