The helicopter crash in Sifnos that claimed the lives of a British newlywed couple and their Greek pilot as they travelled to the Greek island for their honeymoon.
The victims were 31-year-old Alexander Cromie and his 30-year-old wife, Marie Ebert, who lived in London. The Greek pilot, 53-year-old Giorgos Raikos, was also killed.
Couple had travelled to Sifnos for honeymoon
Cromie and Ebert had recently married and had hired a private helicopter taxi to travel from Markopoulo to Sifnos for their honeymoon.
The helicopter crashed on Monday afternoon, shortly before its scheduled landing at the island’s helipad.
Cromie worked at Blackstone’s London office as a vice-president in private wealth solutions.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Blackstone said it was “devastated” by the deaths of the three people, including Cromie and his wife, who were celebrating their honeymoon.
The company described Cromie as a highly valued member of its team and extended its condolences to his loved ones.
Helicopter lost contact before crash
According to reports, the helicopter had taken off from Markopoulo and was approaching Sifnos when the crash occurred.
The pilot had informed the relevant service that he was preparing to land before radio contact was suddenly lost.
Security camera footage reportedly showed the Bell 206 spinning irregularly in the air before rapidly losing altitude and crashing.
Other footage showed the helicopter immediately catching fire, with thick smoke rising from the wreckage.
Residents near the helipad said they heard an unusual noise coming from the helicopter shortly before the crash.
The accident occurred at around 18:00 local time, just minutes before the scheduled landing. A senior police official in Athens said the helicopter was expected to land at 18:15 and was scheduled to depart again around 25 minutes later.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, but the two passengers and pilot could not be saved.
Initial reports from local media incorrectly stated that the helicopter had crashed seconds after take-off. That information was later corrected.
Experienced pilot among the victims
Raikos was a retired Hellenic Air Force officer who reportedly had extensive flying experience.
He had previously flown military Chinook helicopters and was reportedly hired by the company operating the helicopter around two months before the crash.
Sifnos Deputy Mayor Manolis Fountelakis described the scene following the crash, saying the helicopter had been reduced to wreckage.
He also relayed accounts from local residents who believed the helicopter had experienced a mechanical problem in the air and heard a loud, unusual noise shortly before the crash.
Two bodies were reportedly found in the wreckage, while the third was located several metres away.
Investigation into crash under way
The Hellenic Air and Railway Accident Investigation and Aviation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, according to Greece’s Transport Ministry.
The fire service was alerted at around 18:17. Two firefighters arrived at the scene with a vehicle to extinguish the fire, while a rescue team also travelled to Sifnos aboard a Fire Service speedboat.
Sifnos Mayor Maria Nadali described the incident as a shocking event for the island.
“We are shocked and are trying, together with the relevant authorities, to manage the consequences of this incident near the helipad,” she said in comments to local media.
Also read: Sifnos: Video captures helicopter crash that killed three
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