Emergency services raced to the scene of the light aircraft crash near Littleborough
18:27, 03 Feb 2026Updated 19:04, 03 Feb 2026
Huge emergency service response after plane crash near Littleborough
Two men have been confirmed dead after a plane crash in Greater Manchester on Tuesday (February 3). Officers from GMP, ambulances and firefighters were mobilised to an area of moorland near Blackstone Edge and Hollingworth Lake, with specialist emergency services crews also said to be in attendance.
It followed reports of a light aircraft crash in the area on Tuesday morning. The private plane, now understood to have been a small Cirrus SR 20, had set off from Birmingham Airport at around 10am. It had two people on board.
Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 said a Cirrus SR20 departed Birmingham just before 10am, travelling for around 40 minutes before the last signal was received south of the M62 motorway near Marsden, West Yorkshire.
A huge emergency response attended the scene of the crash(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
According to Cirrus – the manufacturer of the aircraft thought to be involved – a parachute is included as standard equipment on all its certified aircraft models. Police are currently exploring the deployment of a parachute as part of investigations.
Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 11.30am and remained in attendance throughout the day. Police, fire crews and paramedics were seen responding to the major incident, along with an air ambulance and specialist investigators from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
Police, paramedics and fire crews raced to the scene near Littleborough (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Greater Manchester Police confirmed on Tuesday evening that two had been confirmed dead following the crash. The bodies of two men were found and were pronounced dead at the scene. Formal identification is yet to take place.
It is not believed there was anyone else on board, and there are no reported injuries on the ground, GMP said. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) also confirmed it has launched an investigation into the crash and sent a team to the site.
A parachute got caught on a nearby pylon beside the crash site(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Chief Superintendent Danny Inglis, from GMP’s Rochdale district, said: “This is a devastating incident where two people have lost their lives and our thoughts are with their families and friends.
“We have been working closely with emergency service colleagues and partner agencies throughout the day to establish the full circumstances and we will be on scene overnight and into tomorrow.
“There will be an enhanced presence as officers and investigators comprehensively survey the area and ensure all available evidence is recovered. If anyone has any information, or witnessed the crash, we would urge you to get in touch with us.”
In a statement, the AAIB added: “An accident involving a light aircraft which occurred today near Rochdale, Greater Manchester has been notified to the AAIB. An investigation has been launched and a multidisciplinary team of inspectors are on their way to the accident site.”
You can contact police via 101 or the Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.