Brit, 22, killed by spinning helicopter blade in front of family on Greek holiday is named as pilot is arrested | The Sun

A PILOT has been arrested after a Brit tourist was killed by a spinning helicopter blade in front of his horrified family while returning from a holiday.

Jack Fenton, 22, was travelling back from Mykonos with three pals in the hired chopper as his parents followed in a helicopter behind when he was struck by the craft's rear rotor in Athens.

The pilot of the black Bell 407 craft – said to be “deeply traumatised” by the incident – and two ground technicians have been arrested as cops investigate.

Jack disembarked the chopper after it landed at a helipad in Spata and – unaware that a rotor was still spinning – it's understood he walked towards the tail of the helicopter.

His fellow passengers and the pilot then reeled in horror as they saw a sweeping blade kill him instantly at around 6.20pm local time.

A police official, who identified the victim as Jack, told The Times: "He was the first to disembark the Bell 407 helicopter in Athens and as he moved to the back, he was hit in the head by the aircraft’s small rear rotor,

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“There was no chance of him surviving. His death was instantaneous.”

It's understood Oxford Brookes student Jack “suffered horrific head injuries caused by a spinning rotor blade”.

Cops are probing whether he was trying to take a selfie when he was struck.

A police source told The Sun: "We are examining every eventuality, including the possibility of the boy going there to take a selfie in the excitement of the moment."

The shocked pilot managed to radio the second craft with his wealthy parents on board and requested emergency permission to abort the landing and fly on to Athens Airport.

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A source told The Sun: “The pilot saw what had happened and decided to spare the parents the sight of their son – it was horrendous.

“He flew on to another helipad at Athens where the couple were consoled as it was confirmed that the young man was dead.

“The cause is being investigated but it remains unclear why this happened – or was allowed to happen when rotor blades pose such an obvious danger.”

A police source added: “We are talking about a tragedy – an unprecedented tragedy – a tragedy that should never have happened.”

Giorgos Kalliakmanis, the head of the Greek police union, said the investigation will focus on whether correct safety procedures were followed.

The helicopter’s pilot could face manslaughter charges if he was deemed to be at fault, Kalliakmanis told the Mega news channel.

He said: "We want to see if the pilot informed the passengers to get off the helicopter.

“These propellers run for about two minutes from the time he turns the engine off unless he presses a button which stops them at 50 seconds. 

“The helicopter door has no security, anyone who wants to open the door and get out. 

“The preliminary investigation will look at whether the pilot informed them to get out when the propeller and engines stopped.”

Sources said the family's 115 mile trip in two helicopters from their holiday in Mykonos would have cost in excess of £15,000 alone.

And limousines were on standby at the Lolo Heliport at Spata on the outskirts of Athens to whisk them straight to a “family-owned private jet” waiting to fly them back from the Greek capital’s international airport.

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Accident investigators probing the tragedy are questioning the chopper pilot as to why the rotors were not still or secured before passengers were allowed off.

The weather may have also contributed as high winds were reported across Greece as well as searing 40C heat on Monday.

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