A six-year-old boy has been orphaned and is fighting for his life in hospital after both of his parents were killed in a plane crash which left him seriously injured.
The family-of-three, from Warwickshire, were forced to try to make an emergency landing at a grass airfield in Popham, Hampshire, yesterday after weather suddenly deteriorated.
Company director Lewis Tonkinson, 50, and Sally Tonkinson, 44, from Alcester, died following the crash.
Their son George is being treated at Southampton General for life-threatening injuries.
A Hampshire Police spokeswoman said: 'Police remain at the scene whilst the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) carries out an assessment. It's believed the aircraft will be removed from the site later.
'Enquiries have revealed that the aircraft took off from Bembridge on the Isle of Wight yesterday afternoon.'
She added that post mortems were due to be carried out on Tuesday to establish an exact cause of death.
Stacey Manwill said he was driving on a track to a holiday park near the airfield yesterday afternoon when he saw ambulances driving past.
He said: 'I walked on and could see a small blue and white plane which was in a real mess.
'I could see the fuselage of the plane - it was a small aircraft. There was no fire and the plane was largely intact from what I could see.'
Ambulance crews and paramedics were at the scene of the accident close to the A303 at Blackwood Forest, near Popham Airfield, examining the wreckage after the crash on Saturday afternoon.
The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch is investigating the cause of the crash and returned to the scene today.
Their son George (pictured with his father) is being treated at Southampton General for life-threatening injuries
The light aircraft came crash landed yesterday afternoon, with emergency services alerted just before 3.30pm
Mr Tonkinson, who studied electronic engineering at the University of Warwick and celebrated his 50th birthday last week, was director of his own company, Pinnacle Marketing Communications. He married Sally in November 2013.
Pinnacle, which he started 21 years ago, is described as 'the largest European agency in its sector, Pinnacle Marketing Communications is a technical PR and advertising agency specialising in marketing communications in Western and Eastern Europe, the USA and Asia.'
Its website states: 'Pinnacle focuses on the electronics, industrial engineering and manufacturing sectors with a rare blend of technical, language and creative skills that deliver significant value to campaigns.'
A spokeswoman for South Central Ambulance Service said: 'Our crews assessed three patients at the scene, sadly two were confirmed deceased at the scene.
One patient was taken by land ambulance to Southampton General Hospital with life threatening injuries.'
She added that the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance had been sent to the scene along with three ambulances, three rapid response cars and an ambulance doctor.
Company director Lewis Tonkinson, 50, and Sally Tonkinson, 44, from Alcester, died following the crash at Popham Airfield. Their son George is being treated at Southampton General
A six-year-old boy is critically ill in hospital tonight unaware that both of his parents have been killed in a plane crash which has left him severely injured. Police and air accident investigators were at the site today to investigate the cause of the plane crash
She said that the service were alerted to the crash at 3.28pm today.
A Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman last night said that 25 firefighters were dealing with the incident.
He said: 'A light aircraft came down and overturned in a patch of woodland half a mile south of A303 just down from Popham at Blackwood Forest.
'We are there assisting with the operation and we are trying to establish what we are dealing with there. We have 25 firefighters at the scene.'
A Hampshire police spokeswoman yesterday evening said: 'Hampshire police are currently at the scene of a light aircraft crash near to Popham airfield.
Officers cordoned off the area where the crash took place as investigators looked for evidence
Both of those killed died at the crash site while the injured child was taken to Southampton General Hospital
Popham Airfield (file picture) is close to a holiday park but the occupants of the plane are not linked to it
'Two people have sadly died, whilst a third is in a life threatening condition at Southampton General Hospital.
'Emergency services were alerted at 15.43, Saturday January 3. The aircraft came down in woods south of the A303.'
She added that the scene was close to a holiday park but the occupants of the aircraft were not believed to be linked to the site.
Via Daily mail
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