Difficult decision after death of pilot

250,00 people crowded into the seaside town of Bournemouth, on the south coast of England, last Saturday for the Bournemouth Air Festival.  The star turn was the Red Arrows, the jet formation display team of Britain's royal Air Force.  They are amongst the most skilful pilots in the world.  Only the elite of the RAF can be considered for duty in the Red Arrows.

After a breath-taking display over Bournemouth, the Red Arrows returned to land at Bournemouth International Airport when one of the jets, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, failed to pull out of a banking manoeuvre and crashed.  Flt Lt Egging, who was 33,  was killed.

The Air Festival was due to continue for a second day the following day.

After such an incident involving loss of life, organisers of events have a difficult decision to make.  When is it necessary to stop the event after such a tragedy?

There are reasons that an event might be halted:

1. Safety:  If the accident raises fears the event is not safe then there is no question that the event should be stopped.  The safety of the public comes first.  Had the event happened at the Festival and not at the airport, this would be non-negotiable. The organisers will almost certainly have urgently consulted with the Royal Air Force and the Civil Aviation Authority over this.
2. Taste: Organisers must take a view on whether it is in good taste to carry on with an event for public entertainment after a fatality.  The views of the family and the Royal Air Force may well have been sought.
3. Public feeling: after a death, there may be such a strength of public feeling that gross offence might be caused by the continuation of an event.  This does not appear to be true of this event.  The public hugely admire and respect the Red Arrows, and accept that what they do carries risks
4. Contractual obligations: in an event of this nature, there will be many legal contracts stipulating what should happen in the event of cancellation.  It is inevitable that financial considerations play a part, but they should not override the considerations in 1, 2 and 3.

In this case, the organisers decided that the event should go ahead, and astutely invited the public who were coming on the second day to wear something red as a tribute, which they did.   This had the effect of making members of the public who felt uneasy about going to the second day of displays to feel that they were doing so as an act of tribute.  Most who did so will have felt sincerely for the family of Flt Lt Egging and his RAF colleagues.  A minute’s silence was also held and a tribute film shown before the second day’s display commenced.  A book of condolence was opened. This was all fitting but not mawkish.

It was the right decision.  This was an accident away from the display and a tragedy.  Flt Lt Egging’s widow gave a moving tribute to her husband’s skills and bravery.  She did so with RAF support and supervision and she clearly wanted to.  Enormous care should be taken when exposing the immediately bereaved to the media and the backstop position is normally complete privacy.

These decisions have to made quickly and they are never easy.

The recent fatal accidents at pop concerts in Belgium and Indiana are a reminder that large scale public events carry serious risks.  Organisers must have a well thought through crisis plan and must rehearse it.  Such a plan must contain plans for mass communication with the public who might be planning to attend.

Meanwhile the Red Arrows will not be performing until further notice, pending a Ministry of Defence investigation.    The team’s aerobatic feats have thrilled countless people.  But this can never be worth the loss of a single life. 

(Posted from Singapore)