UK NEWS

TRIBUTES TO PAIR KILLED ON RAF TRAINING FLIGHT

DEATH: Lieutenant Kenneth Thompson

Saturday July 4,2009

By Judith Duffy

FAMILY and friends paid tribute yesterday to two RAF men who were killed when their Tornado fighter jet crashed into a hillside.

Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Thompson and Flight Lieutenant Nigel Morton, of 43 Squadron at RAF Leuchars, Fife, died during a low-flying training exercise on Thursday.

Flight Lieutenant Thompson, 27, from the Glasgow area, came from a military family and was described as “the epitome of a fighter pilot”.

A statement from his family said: “He was passionate about his career in the RAF and his flying.

“We have lost our son and brother, but take some comfort from the fact that he died doing what he loved – flying.”

Flight Lieutenant Morton, 43, from Fife, who was married with a son, had served in Bosnia and Iraq and was a highly experienced navigator.

His family said: “He was a beloved father and husband, son, brother and son-in-law, respected by all who worked with him.”

Wing Commander David Hazell, the squadron’s commanding officer, said the men’s deaths were a “huge loss”.

He added: “Kenny was a young pilot with an extremely bright future ahead of him. He was enthusiastic about everything in life, in particular he had an enormous thirst for flying.

“Nigel was one of the most experienced navigators on the Tornado F3 force.

“His professionalism and skill were matched only by his generosity of spirit and his commitment to flying.”

A huge search and rescue operation was launched after the crash, which happened in Glen Kinglas, near Arrochar, Argyll.