Updated 08.00, 4th July: All of the roads closed immediately after the incident have now been reopened. The A83 is controlled by traffic lights at specific points.

Updated 00.01, 4th July: The Ministry of Defence has identified the two RAF aircrew who died in the F3 Tornado crash at Rest and be Thankful on 2nd July – the pilot was 27 year-old Flt Lt Kenneth Thompson and the weapons system control officer was 43 yar-old Flt Lt Nigel Morton, who saw action in Bosnia..

Both men were Scots, Flt Lt Thompson from the Glasgow area and Flt Lt Morton from Fife. Both were members of 43 Squadron based at RAF Leuchars and due to be disbanded this summer. Both had been expected to transfer to what will be an expanded 111 Squadron at Leuchars, flying the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Updated 10.15 3rd July All the road closures and diversions noted below, including the A814 at Arrochar, remain in place until further notice. We will update on this and on the incident itself as further information becomes available. The names of the two aircrew killed in the crash are due to be made public at 17.30 today.

An RAF Torado F3 based at RAF Leuchars crashed into the hillside at Glen Kinglas above Butter Bridge below the pass at Rest and Be Thankful shortly after 11.40am on Thursday 2nd July).

It has now been confirmed that both of the aircrew, the pilot and the weapons system operator, were killed. Their names will not be released for 24 hours, at the request of their families.

The MoD has confirmed that the RAF will hold a service inquiry into the incident.

Units equipped to deal with potentially hazardous materials and to with any consequent environmental impacts have been at the scene.

Local reports and insights

For Argyll has had a local report from someone who heard the aircraft go up Loch Fyne earlier and was disturbed by the engine noise, fearing it was about to go down in the loch. We have passed that information to the MOD. Folk in this area have no choice but to be very familiar with the engine notes of Tornados and would be alert to anything unusual.

Since reports from the Loch Long side of Rest and Be Thankful (at Arrochar) indicate that the crash was heard shortly after the jets passed over the village heading north west toward the Rest , it would indicate that the Loch Fyne observation related to an earlier pass by the aircraft during their training flight.

It now looks as if the impact point was on one of two nearby sites:

• the hillside above Loch Restil which lies just below and to the north of the top of the pass at Rest and Be Thankful. A crash at that point would affect the B828 road from the Rest south east to Lochgoilhead. This road has, of course, been closed since the incident
• the lower slopes of the Fidleir, facing Rest and Be Thankful.

As Argyll’s main arterial road, the A83 sees regular traffic in both directions. At this time of the year, in this weather and in the late morning, traffic would not have been light. It is astonishingly providential that road users have not also been killed.

Additionally, there is a rumour that the road may be closed for a fortnight because there is aviation fuel all over it at the crash site and, because it is a solvent, the road surface may need substantial repair. None of these are first hand reports.

The initial MoD information

According to the Ministry of Defence, two F3 Tornados of the 16 aircraft in 43 Squadron based at RAF Leuchars had been on a routine training flight from Leuchars before the incident occurred. The second aircraft landed safely back at Leuchars.

No civilians were injured. The condition of the 2 crew, pilot and navigator – has not been disclosed at this stage. Emergency services attended the incident and further information will be available later.

The Ministry of Defence is handling all enquiries through their London Headquarters.

Road closures – until further notice

The immediate consequence of the incident is road closures and diversions identified below – which remain in place until further notice.

• The A83  from Arrochar to Inveraray  is closed in both directions.
• The B828 north of Lochgoilhead, from the Hell’s Glen junction to the pass at Rest and Be Thankful is closed in both directions. The Hells Glen road through to the A815 southbound is open.
• The A815 north from the Hell’s Glenroad junction is closed in both directions.
• The A814 Loch Long road is closed at Arrochar – although neither Strathclyde Police nor the MOD are aware of why this should be the case. It may be an unrelated incident.

Local access is possible in many cases.

Diversions are in place as follows:

Westbound traffic should stay on the A82 at Tarbet on Loch Lomond and go to Crianlarich, then west on the A85 to Tyndrum, then south on the A819 through Dalmally – which turns south at the head of Loch Awe for Inveraray.

Eastbound traffic from Inveraray should go north to Dalmally on the A819  and on to Tyndrum, turning east to Crianlarich on the A85 then south to Tarbet and Glasgow on the A82.

NOTE: We will update this item on both the incident and on road closures as more information becomes available.

Related Posts

• A83 closed: landslide at Rest & Be Thankful (44)
• Overnight road closures for A82 at Crianlarich (0)
• Anger at Campbeltown to Glasgow Citylink bus service (3)
• Tornados terrify Loch Fyne (1)
• All roads closed after Tornado crash now reopened (0)

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