Company apologises for incident that damaged a house near Cornwall airport Newquay

Thursday, 27 March 2025 17:22

A homeowner has described the moment debris fell from a plane and damaged her home near Cornwall Airport during a military exercise.

According to police, the incident happened at a property in Tregaswith around 5pm on Wednesday.

The homeowner, Sue Rundle, described the event as "terrifying" after large holes were left in the wall and roof.

The operator of the aircraft, Draken, has apologised for the damage caused.

Speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall, Chief Executive Nic Anderson said: "I just want to offer my unreserved apologies for this incident, particularly to those who have been personally affected by it."

He added that a member of their team had visited the property to offer support and minimise the impact of the accident.

Anderson explained that the debris had come from a "target on a cable" being towed by the aircraft.

"As we were releasing the cable from the winch under the wing, the mechanism controlling the release malfunctioned, meaning we could neither wind it back in nor discharge it into the sea," he said.

"In that case, the crew followed procedures, declared an emergency, and sought the nearest airport to divert to.

"It appears that on the approach to Newquay, the cable and target were released. That is the debris that, unfortunately, fell on the farm and a couple of properties."

Sue Rundle said she was about to leave her home when "everything upstairs just came crashing down," describing the scene as "total devastation."

She added that "it could have been fatal" had she been in another part of the house at the time.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is investigating the incident. 

Devon and Cornwall Police said earlier that no one was injured.

Read more on BBC Cornwall

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