A prosecutor in Athens, investigating the helicopter incident that tragically killed British citizen Jack Fenton, is demanding the results of a toxicology test on the victim’s blood and the seizure of his mobile phone data.
Athens District Attorney Joachim Kasotakis is seeking critical information about the tragic death of 22-year-old Jack Fenton, who was killed by the rear rotor of a private helicopter Monday afternoon on a heliport in Spata, western Athens.
It was the prosecutor who ordered a preliminary investigation into the fatal accident and released the helicopter pilot and two ground technicians from criminal liability.
As stipulated by aviation regulations, three people were responsible for the safety of four passengers when disembarking from the helicopter.
According to libre news site, the prosecutor did not immediately open a criminal case against the three detainees, as the case file contained neither the testimony of about 10 eyewitnesses who were waiting for new helicopter flights at the Eleftherios Venizelos airport, nor the autopsy report of the medical examiner.
Prosecutor Kasotakis demanded the disclosure of data from the victim’s mobile phone, and also requested the results of toxicological tests of his blood. The prosecutor’s office is also awaiting the conclusions of the investigative commission for the investigation of aviation accidents on the causes of the tragic incident.
The prosecutor is looking for footage from a surveillance camera located outside the passenger halls of the helicopter. The camera is said to simply function as a “surveillance” without recording any image or sound.
The prosecutor has been informed of the progress of the investigation, as once the investigation is completed, the helicopter pilot and two ground technicians will be subject to non-trial evidence of manslaughter and violation of the air safety law for subsequent criminal charges.
The accident happened shortly after 18:00 on Monday at a helipad in the Agios Georgios area of Spata.
The victim and his friends were returning from the island of Mykonos to Athens in two helicopters. They were going to go to Venizelos airport, from where they would fly back to the UK by private jet.
However, at the time of landing at the heliport and under circumstances to be clarified as part of the preliminary investigation, Fenton approached the helicopter’s rear rotor and was mortally wounded..
In accordance with safety regulations, passengers must be accompanied by ground technicians who are responsible for their safe escort away from the rotors of the helicopter.
So what happened on the helipad in Spat on Monday?
At least one of those arrested reportedly testified to police that as the passengers disembarked from the helicopter, the young man moved away from his fellow travelers and accompanying persons and approached the helicopter, possibly to take a selfie with his cell phone.
Helicopter pilot friend Yorgos Hiotakis, a professional pilot with 30 years of experience, puts forward his version of the tragic accident in Spata that claimed the life of British tourist Jack Fenton, and says:
“A group of four people were walking, heading to the right place. And suddenly a British tourist, of his own free will, returned to the helicopter, presumably holding a mobile phone in his hand. The rest shouted to him:” No, no, no …”. The pilot of another The helicopter tried to catch up with him as he was about to pass under the helicopter’s propeller, but didn’t catch up.The prop hit the guy on the head and he died tragically.The helicopter landed, the propellers were working, two ground flight attendants came and another pilot showed the passengers where to go. The distance to the passenger waiting area is 10 meters.As you understand, each passenger is not a prisoner, we do not keep them in chains, we do not pull their ears.So we politely open the doors for them and tell the passengers where they should go.I can not accept what his friends say is that no one said where to go. Because everyone was in the right place and one went to the wrong place. May this never happen again.”
However, a person from Fenton’s group of friends who was present at the time, in an interview with the Daily Mail newspaper, denied this claim, even complaining about non-compliance with safety regulations.
The 20-year-old sister of the victim, who was not present in Athens, reported British media that the selfie claim was “a lie”. According to his sister, this was Jack’s first helicopter flight, and no one told them what to do and what not to do.
So far, the information leaked to the media is rather contradictory. Some of his friends are quoted as saying that they had already been escorted into the living room when Jack got off the helicopter, talking on the phone.
Safe disembarkation protocol requires the pilot to ask passengers to remain in the cockpit until the propellers have stopped.
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