Four survivors have been found, three female and one male, who deployed their chutes before the crash. The pilot and jump instructor stayed on board the Cessner 337 aircraft, despite there being sufficient parachutes for them, insisting on saving the lives of the four parachutists before considering their own.
Crash survivor Matt McGrath from Winchester said that the two victims, Dennis and Tony Sharnon, seemed to "ignore their own existence. We owe our lives to them". Army Land Rover found him in the 12,000ft firing range, with a helicopter and fire engine picking up the other three survivors. One of the survivors, Laura Cameron, has a broken leg whilst Kate Tong, Debbie Smith and Matt McGrath escaped with cuts and bruises.
"Big Mac", who co-owned the Dorset Parachute Club with the two victims said the crash is "very tragic" and that "the club has been running for three years, and the worst that has happened up until now is someone fracturing a femur".
A mechanical fault caused the crash, with Mr McGrath hearing a "massive bang" from the rear engine. Big Mac claimed the plane was in "good condition" prior to flying, with both pilot and jump instructor being "very experienced".
The active shells prevented easy access to the crash site by paramedics and fire crew. Upon witnessing the crash, Lt Daltrey of the Bovington Army said "the troops were ordered to stop firing at the earliest opportunity".
The light aircraft left Compton Abbus at 1:05pm, crashing at Gallows Hill in Bere Regis just ten minutes later.
Police are currently contacting the family of the two dead ex-soldiers, and are continuing to search for the four missing.
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