Airliner flies low over bay for oil spill exercise

The Boeing tri-jet is equipped with tanks, pumps and spray booms

A low-flying jet airliner seen off the coast of Dorset and the Isle of Wight has been taking part in an oil spill exercise.

Flight data showed the Oil Spill Response Boeing 727 flying as low as 700ft over Poole Bay as it worked with surface vessels on the simulated emergency.

During the three-day exercise, the converted tri-jet plane deposited harmless dye and water into the sea near the Needles lighthouse.

A spokeswoman for Oil Spill Response Ltd (OSRL) said it carried out the "live on-the-water exercise to train our response teams and develop our operational capabilities".

OSRL operates two re-engineered 727s which can each carry up to 15,000 litres of dispersant

OSRL is an international, industry-funded co-operative for oil spill preparedness and response.

The aircraft - adapted with internal tanks, pumps, and spray booms - took off from Cardiff, joining specialist vessels and a dedicated surveillance aircraft off the south coast, completing five flights from Tuesday to Thursday.

The fluorescein dye was deposited to simulate an oil spill, allowing the vessels to carry out training activities before the aircraft sprayed the water over the target area to simulate the dispersant used in a real spill situation.