Jet crashes at airshow in Southern UK, 7 dead, 15 injured

UPDATE #Shoreham Airshow: We still can't tell if the pilot was able to eject. All updates on http://t.co/PEYE8ivUcd pic.twitter.com/hJrWs2TlsJ

— AirLive.net (@airlivenet) August 22, 2015

At least seven people were killed and 15 were injured in an airshow plane crash on the A27 motorway in Shoreham, in West Sussex in the U.K. on Saturday, emergency services said.

British police say the Hawker Hunter fighter jet participating in the airshow near Brighton, came down on the A27 motorway where it hit several vehicles as it crashed Saturday afternoon.

Local news reports carried video and photographs of a fireball erupting near trees and huge plumes of thick black smoke rising.

Several injured after a plane crashes at the Shoreham Airshow. Police declare major incident. pic.twitter.com/IeYgMYmfx1

— Joshua Coupe (@JoshuaCoupeKM) August 22, 2015

The Hawker Hunter has crashed at #Shoreham. This is a truly awful scene. pic.twitter.com/MZ1i55qLNA

— Nicholas Hair (@NDH37087) August 22, 2015

West Sussex Police said there were "several casualties" and that the highway was closed in both directions. The force did not elaborate on the conditions of those injured.