ATC collision victims named

The two Air Cadets who died in the AEF collision yesterday have been named by the Ministry of Defence.

Cousins Katie-Jo Davies, 14, and Nikkita Marie Walters, 13, died alongside their pilots Flying Officer Andrew Marsh, 24, and Flying Officer Hilton Price, 63, when their two Grob Tutors collided yesterday morning.

Both girls were from Gilfach Goch, Rhondda,? and attended Tonyrefail Comprehensive School. The other pupils were told of their deaths at a special assembly on Thursday.

Russell Roberts, the Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taff Council, also a school governor, said, “We are devastated and in shock. Our sympathies are with the girls’ families at this tragic time.”

In a statement, the girls’ families said:

Words cannot describe how devastated we are by the loss of our girls.

Nikkita and Katie-Jo were both much loved and will be so sorely missed. We are all grieving and would appeal for privacy at this time to come to terms with our loss.

We will not be making any further comment at this time. We need time alone to deal with what has happened.

Group Captain Andrew Naismith added to yesterday’s statement, by saying:

“Yesterday’s tragic accident took the lives of four members of the RAF family. As I said yesterday, our thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of those who died.

The aircraft involved in yesterday’s incident were two Grob Tutor T1 training aircraft. These aircraft are supplied and operated by VT AE and have been in use as an elementary flying training aircraft by the RAF since 1999.

The RAF is working closely with the Air Accident Investigation Branch and South Wales Police as part of a tripartite investigation. An MOD Service Investigation is already underway and all the data gleaned will be shared to enable us to determine the facts which led to yesterday’s tragic accident.

For this reason, you will appreciate that we cannot speculate about the causal factors which led to this accident. We must gather the facts to reach the proper conclusion.

Members of the Emergency Services, the Environment Agency, Local Authority and the communities involved have provided unstinting support throughout last night’s bitterly cold weather and, for their selfless contributions, I thank them for this and for the immense compassion everyone concerned has shown.

The loss of four members of the RAF family is one that is felt acutely.