Shoreham Airshow disaster victim's family talk five years on

Jacob Schilt, 23, was one of 11 men killed in the 2015 tragedy.

He was on his way to play football for Worthing United with team-mate Matt Grimstone when the Hawker Hunter aircraft crash-landed on the A27.

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the disaster.

Speaking to The Argus, Jacob’s parents Bob, 66, and Caroline, 60, spoke of their wait for an inquest into their son’s death.

Earlier this year, inquests into the 11 victims previously scheduled for next month were postponed until next September due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“It means we have to wait, but we’ve waited five years,” said retired teacher Bob, who lives in Brighton.

Jacob Schilt was one of 11 victims of the disaster

“We’re not getting any younger, but another year is only another year.

“I think it’s important to wait to get it right to find out what did happen.

“Otherwise we would have to watch the inquest on Zoom and that wouldn’t be right.

“We’ve been kept informed as to the reasons why the inquest was delayed at every stage.

“There’s nothing you can do about the Covid epidemic.”

On the first anniversary of the disaster, Bob and Caroline told The Argus how they had not moved Jacob’s football boots from the outside doorstep he had placed them on.

Though the boots have now been moved to the utility room, the Schilts have kept many of Jacob’s possessions around to remember him.

“The boots would’ve been stolen by a fox by now. They’re here with me in the utility room,” Bob told The Argus.

“We still keep his things around.

“We didn’t want to remove him from the house. We haven’t got the heart.

Bob Schilt said it was the right decision to delay the inquests. Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA

“Some people clear everything out, they can’t bear to have it around.

“We’re not like that.

“They’re part of our house, he was part of our household.”

The inquests into the 11 deaths will take place in a six-week window from September 14.

Juries will not be present at any of the hearings.

Pilot Andrew Hill, who was flying the Hawker jet and survived the crash, was cleared of 11 charges of manslaughter by gross negligence in March last year.