Two missing after RAF jet crash

(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION)

Rescue teams are searching for two missing crew members after two Royal Air Force Tornado fighter jets crashed while on a training exercise in Scotland on Tuesday (July 3), Britain's Ministry of Defence said.

Two other air crew were rescued following the incident which occurred over the Moray Firth estuary off the Scottish east coast, but there was no information about their condition.

"The incident involved four air crew, all personnel from the station, and the thoughts of everyone here are with the families and friends of those involved. As I'm sure you'll understand, this is an evolving situation, and as such I'm not prepared to comment on this time on their condition or speculate on the circumstances surrounding the incident," said Group Captain Ian Gale, Station Commander at RAF Lossiemouth where the jets were based.

Gale also confirmed that two of the four have been rescued, while the other two remain missing.

Boats are searching the area for the missing crew from the Tornado GR4 aircraft, a heavily armed attack jet which has been used by the RAF in a number of recent military operations including Afghanistan and Libya.

The incident is the latest crash involving RAF jets in Scotland where they routinely undergo training missions.

In January 2011, the two-man crew in a Tornado GR4 from RAF Lossiemouth ejected before their plane crashed into the sea off northwest Scotland.

Two crewmen were killed in 2009 when their Tornado F3 crashed in Argyll, near Loch Lomond, during a routine training flight.