Two top gun pilots ejected as their fighter jet nose dived into the North Sea today.

The £15m Tornado GR4 had been on a low-flying exercise when disaster struck. The pilot and co-pilot ejected with seconds to spare as the plane ditched seven miles off Boulmer, Northumberland.

Two RAF Sea King helicopters from RAF Boulmer were scrambled to the scene and were joined by a Northumbria police helicopter.

The two personnel were rescued from the water and airlifted to Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary. Their condition was not known.

A board of enquiry will be set up to find the cause of the incident yesterday morning.

The two man crew were both conscious as they were plucked from the sea.

They were flown to Newcastle by the RAF and at 12.30pm arrived at the city's general hospital by ambulance.

Watched by a concerned colleague from the helicopter crew, one of the two airmen was wheeled into the Accident and Emergency department wrapped in a foil sheet and with his head held by a neckbrace.

Flt Lt Lyndsay Smith of RAF Boulmer said: "Thankfully the two crew are safe and well and have been taken to hospital in Newcastle.

"As a matter of routine they will then be taken to hospital in Nottingham which specialises in spinal injuries.

"A board of enquiry has been convened and a navy enquiry trying to salvage wreckage from the scene.

The Tornado had been on a routine low flying exercise from RAF Marham in Norfolk."