Essex Police Conclude Investigation into Ongar Plane Crash

Investigations into the plane crash at the scene in Ongar have now ended. Essex Police and Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) completed their searches at the field off Mill Lane on the early evening of Thursday 2 July.

Detective Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin said: I’d like to thank everyone involved in this complex investigative process and the local community for their understanding and support.Yesterday, we left the crash site having completed a meticulous three-day search.Two people who were on board the aircraft have been removed from the site.Although formal identification is yet to take place, our thoughts remain with the deceaseds’ families who are being supported by specially trained officers at this difficult time.

Disaster Victim Identification is underway, led by His Majesty’s Coroner and supported by emergency services and the AAIB. It is complex work, overseen by a panel of experts which is chaired by HM Coroner, and it is only when they are satisfied that the identities of those involved in the crash will be formally confirmed.

This process uses forensic methods including DNA and fingerprints, with families kept informed by Family Liaison Officers. The senior officer leading the Essex Police investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe, added: I’d continue to appeal for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.I’d particularly ask that anyone who was driving in the vicinity at the time to check their dash cam to see if they have captured footage that could help our investigation.Similarly, anyone with camera or phone footage, is asked to contact us.

The aircraft has been carefully dismantled and removed from the site. We will continue our investigation alongside that of the parallel investigation by AAIB investigators.

If you have any information or footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us. If you have any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact.

When providing any information, please quote incident 600 of 30 June to make sure it gets to the right person as quickly as possible. If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

We are now in a position to confirm two people have, sadly, died following a plane crash in Ongar. A two-seater Cessna aircraft took off from North Weald Airfield, lunchtime on Tuesday 30 June on a short flying experience flight, however it did not return.

At 12.30pm we started receiving reports that a small aircraft had crashed into a field off Mill Lane in Ongar. Detective Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, has today provided this update: "Sadly, we can now confirm that two people who were on board died.“Formal identification is yet to take place.

Due to the nature of the incident, this is likely to be a complex process and one we will approach sensitively and compassionately.“Their families will be supported, and our thoughts are with them.“Our focus is to establish what happened and give their families the answers they need, while ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect.“The investigation has continued overnight with our detectives and forensic teams at the scene working in parallel with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.“We are working alongside AAIB and local partners - Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, North Weald airport and Epping Forest District Council - to build an accurate picture of what happened.“We’re also speaking to those who called emergency services and who witnessed what will have been a distressing incident.

We’d like to thank them for their help.“I’d also ask anyone who witnessed anything that could help our investigation and who has not yet contacted us, to call 101 or via our website.“I would also like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding as we work quickly to establish the facts and make the location safe for residents and local businesses.“In the coming days, we will remain at Mill Lane carrying out our enquiries, to find out what happened.“We’ll provide further updates as soon as we practically can." We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Ongar.

We were alerted at 12.30pm on Tuesday 30 June to reports of a crash involving a small aircraft in a field at Mill Lane, Ongar. We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing.

Detective Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin said: "This is a serious incident, and we understand it will cause concern in the local community."We are working closely with emergency service partners to respond and ensure the area is safe."There will be a visible police presence as we deal with this incident." We ask residents to avoid Mill Lane while this work continues and thank them for their patience and understanding.

We will provide further updates as soon as we are able. Share