Air crash search THE station honorary secretary of Portsmouth (Langstone Harbour) was alerted by Lee-on-Solent Coastguard MRSC at 1105 on April 30, 1987 with news of a crashed aircraft, down in East Solent near Horse Sand Fort.

Nothing more was known about the incident at that time. There was a light wind and calm sea, but visibility was moderate to poor in low mist.

Portsmouth's Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat City of Portsmouth launched at 1109 with Helmsman Adrian West and Crew Members Barry Taylor, Paul Martin and Paul Venton on board, arriving at the scene at 1123.

They discovered wreckage scattered over a wide area between No Man's Land Fort and the Warner Shoal, together with mutilated bodies floating.

A Royal Navy helicopter and several surface craft were already searching for survivors.

After about 20 minutes the lifeboat reported that one body was dressed in oilskins. Until then, no-one had realised that a surface craft might also have been involved in the accident.

It transpired that a light aircraft containing three occupants had collided with a yacht containing two men. Four bodies were recovered and the search was eventually called off at 1700..