Brit newlyweds killed in helicopter crash on Greek island while on way to honeymoon named
The pair died alongside the pilot on Monday evening
A British couple who were killed in a helicopter crash on the way to their honeymoon in Greece have been named.
Listen to this article
Alexander Cromie and Marie Ebert died alongside the Greek pilot after the helicopter came down in the Tholos area on Monday, shortly after taking off.
The couple were reportedly flying to of Sifnos for their honeymoon when the aircraft came down.
Witnesses said they saw it appear to spin at speed before plunging towards an arid hillside, shortly after 6pm.
Read more: Two teenagers die after car crashes into wooded area in Essex
Read more: Moment huge fire engulfs Russian retail warehouse which left seven dead in Ukraine aerial attack
Dramatic images showed thick black smoke billowing from the crash site as firefighters battled the blaze.
The small private helicopter, a private Bell 206, is said to have exploded and gone up in a huge fireball upon impact.
A rescue team from Syros arrived shortly after with the Fire Department’s RAFNAR speedboat.
CCTV footage has emerged which showed the aircraft spinning out of control before it crashed to the ground.
Greek police named the couple as Mr Cromie and Ms Ebert to several media outlets, while the pilot was named locally as Giorgos Raikos.
The deputy mayor of Sifnos, Manolis Fountoulakis, told local media: "It experienced mechanical failure in the air; residents say it made a loud, strange noise, like military aircraft."
No homes were hit during the incident on the island, which has a permanent population of around 2,600 people and has become a tourist hotspot.
Manolis Fountoulakis, Sifnos' deputy mayor, said residents had reported hearing a “loud, strange noise” before the crash, adding that the helicopter was believed to have suffered a mechanical failure in the air.
The cause has not been confirmed and an investigation is under way.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are in contact with the local authorities and are urgently seeking further information.
"Our staff stand ready to provide consular support to those affected."