A young British tourist died on Monday in a tragic accident in Antenas after being hit in the head by the blades of the tail rotor of a helicopter , from which he had just gotten off after spending a vacation with his parents and friends in a nearby city. to Mykonos.
A Greek prosecutor has ordered an investigation into the death of 22-year-old Jack Fenton, who died on the spot , British outlet The Guardian reported. Investigators believe it was a possible negligence incident. Two ground engineers and the pilot of the aircraft, who had been arrested on Monday night, were released until more information is obtained in the ongoing investigation.
“Basic questions have arisen from witness statements as to why the shovels were not stopped when passengers were allowed to disembark on Monday ,” a police source quoted by the newspaper said.
According to Greek media, the young Oxford Brookes University student was hit by the rear rotor of the aircraft while trying to take a selfie minutes after landing at Spaton heliport.
His parents were traveling in the helicopter behind, so the pilot, being warned about the incident, took them directly to the Athens airport. The family was due to return to the UK that day on a private plane.
“We have interviewed witnesses, including the [three] friends who were traveling with him ,” an official in charge of the investigation was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “The investigation will then be sent to the prosecutor, who will take up the case.”
Speculations
Initially, Greek investigators said that the landing crew had guided Fenton and his friends out of the aircraft, and that the boy had disobeyed orders by running back to the helicopter to take his photo , despite being told by several people. to return, according to the Daily Mail.
However, one of his school friends who was traveling with him, 20-year-old Jack Stanton-Gleaves, told the British newspaper that “no instructions were given when leaving the helicopter and no one accompanied us. All they did was open the doors for us.”
“We landed alone and no one stopped Jack from going to the back of the helicopter. I’ve heard people say that Jack, with the phone, ran to the helicopter. This is completely false. He wasn’t on the phone. I don’t know why he went to the back of the helicopter ”, he added.
Victoria , Jack’s mother, told MailOnline the family is “completely devastated” at the loss of their “wonderful son”. He “ He had gotten out safe and sound when the helicopter landed , but for some reason he came back behind the helicopter and it was the rear propeller that killed him. it was instant.”
The pilot, whose identity was kept anonymous for a while but was later revealed to be Christos Fragkopanagos , could face manslaughter charges, according to local media.