Shoreham Widow Demands New Probe Into Pilot

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The widow of a man killed in the Shoreham Airshow disaster has renewed calls for the criminal investigation into the pilot to be re-opened, as she shared the words her son spoke after losing his father.

On 22 August 2015, 23-year-old Daniele Polito was one of 11 men killed when a Hawker Hunter T7 jet crashed onto the A27 during a display at Shoreham Airport in West Sussex. His son Georgio was just three years old at the time.

The aircraft, flown by former RAF pilot and British Airways captain Andy Hill, 60, came down after attempting a loop manoeuvre in front of thousands of spectators. The impact destroyed several vehicles on the busy road, killing drivers and passengers instantly.

Hill survived the crash with serious injuries. In 2019, he was cleared of manslaughter by gross negligence after a trial at the Old Bailey.

Now, as the tenth anniversary of the disaster approaches, Mr Polito’s widow, Tanya Hewstone, has renewed her demand for accountability. Speaking this week, she recalled the moment her son, now 13, expressed his grief: “My dad died for nothing.”

She added: “For a child to say that, it was really hard. It shows the lasting pain this has caused for all of us. Families should not be left without answers.”

Since the crash, relatives of the victims have continued campaigning for justice, questioning whether more could have been done to prevent the tragedy. Ms Hewstone has accused Hill of showing little remorse and believes the case deserves further scrutiny.

She is preparing to launch a new petition urging authorities to re-examine the criminal investigation. Campaigners argue that lessons must be learned to ensure similar disasters cannot happen again.

The Shoreham crash remains one of the deadliest airshow tragedies in the UK. The victims, all men, included cyclists, motorists, and football supporters travelling along the A27. Annual memorials have been held to honour their memory, with the local community offering ongoing support to grieving families.

Following the accident, the Civil Aviation Authority introduced stricter regulations on air displays, including tighter restrictions on vintage aircraft and high-risk manoeuvres. However, campaigners maintain that these changes have not gone far enough to guarantee safety at future events.