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Seaham man Andrew Buck killed in French Alps plane crash | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Two British men were killed when two planes crashed in the French Alps. | Two British men were killed when two planes crashed in the French Alps. |
Andrew Buck, 37, from Seaham in County Durham and an unnamed passenger, 18, were in one aircraft that came down on Wednesday. | |
The pilot of the second plane, who has also not yet been named, escaped from the wreckage, close to the Italian border, with minor injuries. | |
The planes were among five that left Eshott Airfield, in Northumberland, on Sunday on their way to Malta. | |
Mr Buck's father Les said the news had been "gut wrenching", adding that it was a "dark day" for the family. | |
The aircraft are owned by Purple Aviation, based in Eshott, near Morpeth. The firm has described the deaths as "devastating". | |
A UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said staff were offering assistance to the families of the dead men. | |
The crash happened over the Maddalena Pass, as the group was travelling in stages to Malta. | |
In a post on social media, Les Buck said: "Gut wrenching news that our son Andrew Buck of Seaham Harbour has died in a light aircraft in the French Alps. | |
"It's been a long dark day. Love you son." | |
Mr Buck's sister Lisa Crow, who set up a GoFundMe page in the wake of the crash, said: "My parents and I received the incomprehensible news that my little brother Andrew, was tragically killed in an accident while flying over the French Alps. | |
"My husband Steve and I are beyond grateful for everyone's kind words and support at this time and I know my parents feel the same." | |
Richard Pike, a director of Purple Aviation and who was part of the organised trip, said everyone involved was "devastated". | Richard Pike, a director of Purple Aviation and who was part of the organised trip, said everyone involved was "devastated". |
'Close friends' | |
"This was a group of experienced pilots and close friends embarking on the trip of a lifetime, which has been planned over the last year," he said. | "This was a group of experienced pilots and close friends embarking on the trip of a lifetime, which has been planned over the last year," he said. |
"Everyone involved has been devastated by this tragic accident. | "Everyone involved has been devastated by this tragic accident. |
"We'd like to pass on our sincere condolences to the families of those who died. We have lost two brilliant friends." | "We'd like to pass on our sincere condolences to the families of those who died. We have lost two brilliant friends." |
The company dismissed initial reports the planes involved had collided with one another. | The company dismissed initial reports the planes involved had collided with one another. |
"We can confirm that there was no mid-air collision and that the pilot of the first aircraft to crash walked away from the wreckage unharmed after a well executed forced landing," it said in a statement. | "We can confirm that there was no mid-air collision and that the pilot of the first aircraft to crash walked away from the wreckage unharmed after a well executed forced landing," it said in a statement. |
"An investigation is now ongoing by French aviation authorities, and they have been provided with the expedition's film footage of the incident to see how events unfolded." | "An investigation is now ongoing by French aviation authorities, and they have been provided with the expedition's film footage of the incident to see how events unfolded." |
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