Two men have died after a light aircraft crashed on farmland near Rochdale, Greater Manchester, on Tuesday morning. The Cirrus SR20 took off from Birmingham Airport at around 10am and came down near the M62 in Littleborough approximately 40 minutes later, according to flight-tracking data.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the bodies of two men were found at the scene and pronounced dead. Formal identification is yet to take place. The force stated there were no other occupants on board and no injuries on the ground.
Witnesses reported hearing an unusual engine noise before the crash. Martin Kelly, who was at a nearby bus stop, described the sound as 'very strange' and 'like a misfiring rocket'. The aircraft's onboard parachute was seen entangled in an electricity pylon near the crash site.
Emergency services, including multiple fire engines, attended the scene. Chief Superintendent Danny Inglis said: 'This is a devastating incident where two people have lost their lives and our thoughts are with their families and friends.' The cause of the crash is under investigation.
