Sussex Police say they are making progress in their investigation into the 2015 Shoreham air show crash which killed 11 men.
The force has informed West Sussex Coroner Penelope Schofield that progress has been made, and that a further update will be provided by Sussex Police to the coroner by the end of November.
An inquest into the eleven victims’ death is due to be heard in September 2018, with a third pre inquest review taking place in January. However, this may have to be suspended if the CPS decides to bring criminal charges.
Detective Superintendent Adam Hibbert, who is leading the investigation, said: “In addition to the work we are doing with the Crown Prosecution Service, I have provided Her Majesty’s Senior Coroner. Penelope Schofield with an update of the investigation as requested from the PIR in June .
“My team continues to work on the last few vital lines of enquiry and while I appreciate that this may be extremely frustrating to many, these are, none the less, extremely significant to the investigation.
“We continue to keep the families of the victims in touch with the progress of the investigation.”
Ms Schofield said: “In accordance with the Direction given at the Pre Inquest Review Hearing on 20 June 2017 Sussex Police have provided me with an update on their ongoing investigation on 29 September 2017.
“Whilst progress is being made there is no further information to be given out at this time and a further update will be provided to me on 30 November 2017. The families of the deceased are being kept informed.”
A third pre inquest review will take place on Wednesday 24 January at Crawley Coroner’s Court.
The 11 men who died in the air crash were:
- Maurice Rex Abrahams, 76 of Brighton
- Dylan Archer, 42 of Brighton
- Anthony David Brightwell, 53 of Hove
- Matthew Grimstone, 23 of Brighton
- Matthew Wesley Jones, 24 of Littlehampton
- James Graham Mallinson, 72 of Newick
- Daniele Gaetano Polito, 23 of Goring by Sea
- Mark Alexander Reeves, 53 of Seaford
- Jacob Henry Schilt, 23 of Brighton
- Richard Jonathan Smith, 26 of Hove
- Mark James Trussler, 54 of Worthing.
They were killed when a Hawker Hunter jet crashed during a display at the Shoreham Airshow on Saturday 22 August 2015.
There have been frequent comments regarding the length of time it is taking to bring this matter before the courts and therefore any attempt to provide justice for the victims. Part of the delay in taking action in this matter is because there has been a well publicised lack of cooperation from those that run the air display industry. The CAA have been so exasperated by this they have publicly denounced this behaviour in the national press. The question is why the attempt to kick this into the long grass? Given those involved in the stonewalling, the answer would seem to be Farnborough as those who have come under fire from the CAA, and appear in the guise of representing the air display industry as a body, are actually employed by Farnborough. It is obvious that if Shoreham is an unsuitable venue for an air display, the more so is Farnborough. However the way this campaign was undertaken was so blatant and obvious it just got everyone’s backs up – principally the media starting with the BBC and the disaster of an interview by BADA on Radio 4, and of course the CAA who were furious. Its rebounded on Farnborough with the Red Arrows refusing to perform there, a now suspicious and hostile media, CAA and general public, and even the AAIB calling for an unprecedented Department of Transport Enquiry. Someone stirred up a hornets nest there and then shoved a plonker into it for good measure.