RAF wife of Tornado pilot was called off initial search

Highland Correspondent

Wednesday 11 July 2012

THE wife of one of the men killed in a Tornado crash was stood down from her work in the RAF search and rescue centre when it emerged her husband was in one of the jets.

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David Ross Highland Correspondent

Flight Lieutenant Fiona Bailey, formerly a search and rescue pilot herself, was working in a ground-based role in the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC) at RAF Kinloss last week when the two Tornado aircraft crashed in the Moray Firth.

An RAF spokesman said she had been away doing other duties, but when she returned to the centre a full-scale search was under way for the two Tornado jets from RAF Lossiemouth.It was quickly realised her husband, instructor Squadron Leader Samuel Bailey, 36, was in one of the missing aircraft, along with Flight Lieutenant Adam Sanders, 27, who was training on the Tornado, so she was stood down.Flight Lieutenant Hywel Poole, 28, also a trainee, ejected from the other aircraft and was winched out of the water by a search and rescue helicopter along with his instructor, who has not been named. Both were taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, where Mr Poole died.Sqn Ldr Bailey and trainee Flt Lt Sanders are missing, presumed dead.Wing Commander Martin Tinworth, in the RAF's communications department, said: "While she is employed in the ARCC, she took no part whatsoever in the co-ordination of the search and rescue response to the recent incident involving two Tornado aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth."Although now working in a ground-based capacity, Flt Lt Bailey had previously been a search and rescue helicopter pilot and had been recognised for a mission, on which she was co-pilot, to save the life of a climber of Skye with serious head injuries.She and the rest of the aircrew were invited to Downing Street in 2005 by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair after they rescued the man.Sqn Ldr Bailey, who was born in Nottingham, joined the RAF in 1999 before moving to the Tornado Force in August 2001. The father-of-one, who had a young daughter, Erin, joined XV (Reserve) Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth as an instructor in 2004, serving on operations in Afghanistan.In a statement after the accident, Officer Commanding XV (Reserve) Squadron, Wing Commander Jonathon Moreton, said Sqn Ldr Bailey "excelled in the role" as instructor and was "quickly recognised as a talented mentor and trusted superviser".Wing Cdr Moreton said: "His performance earned him promotion to Squadron Leader in 2010 and, after a tour of duty in Afghanistan, he returned to XV (Reserve) Squadron as a Flight Commander."He had quickly established himself as one of my most trusted instructors and flight commanders."He touched all the parts of the Squadron. An immensely likeable character and professional aviator, he will be sorely missed. Sam was fully committed to all aspects of service life; however, he valued his family time the most."Meanwhile, a salvage vessel is expected to arrive today at the site of the Tornado crash 25 miles south-east of Wick to begin recovering the wreckage. A three-mile exclusion zone has been set up around the planes' location and survey vessel Ocean Star has taken images of the wreckage which is lying in under 200ft of water.The sole survivor of the crash is understood to be making progress in a specialist military hospital in England.

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RAF wife of Tornado pilot was called off initial search

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