BRITISH COUPLE AND PILOT KILLED IN HELICOPTER CRASH ON GREEK ISLAND

A British couple on their honeymoon and their pilot were killed when a helicopter crashed on the Greek island of Sifnos on Monday evening. Alexander Cromie and Marie Ebert, both based in London, died in the crash along with the pilot, named locally as Giorgos Raikos, aged 53. Greek police said the aircraft, a privately chartered Bell 206, crashed moments before it was scheduled to land at 18:15 local time. The helicopter caught fire on impact in the Tholos area near the village of Exambela, approximately 50 metres from the intended landing pad.

Greek authorities believe a mechanical fault caused the crash. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a strange noise from the aircraft as it approached the island, with the deputy mayor of Sifnos, Manolis Fountoulakis, telling local media that residents described a "bizarre engine noise" and that "it experienced mechanical failure in the air". CCTV footage showed the helicopter spiralling out of control before it plummeted to the ground. The crash occurred approximately 50 metres from nearby houses. A senior police official told the Times that the focus of the investigation was on the helicopter and possible engine failure. Firefighters extinguished a blaze that broke out following the impact.

Cromie worked for the asset management firm Blackstone, which said it was "shocked" by his death and that of his wife. A Greek police officer confirmed that two of the three victims were found in the wreckage, whilst the third was located a short distance away. An investigation is under way to determine the precise cause of the crash. The Foreign Office said it was in contact with local authorities and stood ready to provide consular support.