Investigators examining the helicopter crash that killed a newlywed London couple in Greece have released disturbing photographs showing the wreckage and its aftermath.
Alexander Cromie, 31, and Marie Ebert, 30, died when the private air taxi carrying them crashed on the island of Sifnos on August 17 this year.
The couple and pilot Giorgos Raikos, 55, all suffered fatal injuries when the Bell 206 began rotating uncontrollably before hitting the ground near the island’s heliport and erupting in flames.
The newlyweds, who were from London, had travelled from Markopoulo, a village near Athens, to Sifnos for their honeymoon. In the wake of the tragedy, devastated colleagues paid tribute to the “beloved” couple.
A preliminary report published today by the Hellenic Air and Railway Safety Investigation Authority (HARSIA) said the helicopter had “suddenly lost control around its vertical axis” moments before the crash.
The report did not identify the cause of the accident. It said the helicopter came to rest “upside down” and was “almost completely destroyed by fire” after striking the ground.
Investigators said the aircraft had completed an earlier flight without any apparent problems. It had travelled from Athens International Airport to Syros, Folegandros and Santorini before returning to Athens.
Photographs from the crash scene show the helicopter’s burned-out remains, scorched vegetation and debris scattered as far as 50 metres from the main fuselage.
Only charred debris remained of the Bell 206 carrying the newlywed London couple
The helicopter’s vertical fin and tail rotor cone were badly scorched by the fire
One tail rotor blade broke away and was located 4.4 metres from the main wreckage
Alexander Cromie and Marie Ebert, both in their 30s and from London, had hired the private air taxi to reach Sifnos for the start of their honeymoon
Cromie was vice president of private wealth solutions at asset manager Blackstone’s London office. Ebert worked for consultancy Bain & Company.
Raikos, a retired Greek Air Force officer, was believed to have had extensive aviation experience, including flying military Chinook helicopters.
The preliminary report said the Bell 206 crashed into a wall separating two uneven plateaus.
The helicopter struck the ground upside down and was almost entirely destroyed by the fire that followed.
The main rotor blades broke away on impact and were found 48 metres from the crash site.
The tail rotor blades were also fractured in several places, with one detached blade located about four metres from the wreckage.
Investigators found that every blade in the first stage of the axial compressor, the engine component that draws in and compresses air, had shattered.
The fire severely damaged much of the Bell 206, including the outer casing of the engine gearbox.
Fire badly damaged the outer casing of the engine gearbox
A section of the main rotor separated on impact and was found 48 metres from the crash site near the Sifnos helipad
The blades in the axial compressor’s first stage had all broken at their roots
The tail rotor drive shaft and pitch control rod were fractured in several places
In a tribute sent to the Daily Mail after the crash, Blackstone said: “We are shocked by the tragic passing of three people including our colleague Alex Cromie and his wife Marie Ebert, who were celebrating their honeymoon.
“Alex was beloved by everyone who knew and worked with him at Blackstone, and our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.”
Bain & Company told the Daily Mail: “Marie Ebert was a much-loved and deeply respected member of our London team.
“She was exceptional at her job, admired by everyone who worked with her, and had an extraordinary future ahead of her. We are devastated.
“Our thoughts are with Marie’s family, with her husband Alex’s family, and with the friends and colleagues who are grieving them both.
“We also extend our sympathies to the family of the pilot who lost his life as well.
“Marie will be greatly missed by all of us at Bain, and we are doing everything we can to support her family and colleagues at this time.”
The Greek fire service said the crash set off an alarm that could be heard across Sifnos, a popular summer destination in the Cyclades.
Emergency crews raced to the scene, but the passengers and pilot could not be saved.
Emergency crews reached the crash site as smoke rose over the island of Sifnos
Manolis Fountoulakis, Sifnos’s deputy mayor, told Greek news website NewsIT at the time: “There was nothing left, a shapeless mass, inside which the two charred bodies must have been.
“It experienced mechanical failure in the air, residents say it made a loud, strange noise, like military aircraft.”
He said two bodies had been found within the crash site, while a third was located a few yards away.
HARSIA is reportedly examining whether the crash was connected to an earlier incident involving the Bell 206, 11 weeks before the fatal accident.
Restraining straps had been fitted after the helicopter landed on Paros on June 1, immobilising the tail rotor blades in case strong winds caused them to move.
However, according to a report filed with Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority, the pilot did not confirm that the straps had been removed before restarting the engine to fly passengers from the island.
HARSIA’s investigation remains ongoing.