TOXIC TWIST Emiliano Sala and pilot suffered deadly carbon monoxide poisoning in cockpit before plane crashed in Channel - 7M sport

TOXIC TWIST Emiliano Sala and pilot suffered deadly carbon monoxide poisoning in cockpit before plane crashed in Channel

FOOTBALLER Emiliano Sala and his pilot were poisoned by carbon monoxide before their plane crashed into the English Channel, it has been revealed today.


Posted Thursday, August 15, 2019 by Thesun.co.uk

Sala was exposed to "deadly" levels of the gas before the private plane plunged into the water on January 21, with pilot David Ibbotson's body still missing.

TOXIC TWIST Emiliano Sala and pilot suffered deadly carbon monoxide poisoning in cockpit before plane crashed in Channel
Sala had been on his way to Cardiff when the plante crashed into the water

TOXIC TWIST Emiliano Sala and pilot suffered deadly carbon monoxide poisoning in cockpit before plane crashed in Channel
The body of pilot David Ibbotson has not been recovered

It is unclear whether the pair passed out and died on the plane from the exposure - or if they died from their injuries in the crash.

The unexpected twist came after Mr Ibbotson, 59, was widely blamed for the fatal crash - with it previously being revealed he was colourblind and his licence restricted him to flying in daytime hours only.

A pre-inquest hearing into the tragedy previously heard Sala died from "head and trunk injuries" - with his body so badly damaged he had to be identified by his fingerprints.

But the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has suggested the pair could've already been unconscious when the doomed plane plunged into the Channel as it flew from France to Cardiff.

'COMPLETE SHOCK'

Mrs Ibbotson broke months of silence about her husband's death to speak of her "complete shock" at the latest turn of events.

Asked about the initial findings, she told The Sun Online: "It is what it is. We just have to wait for the results of the tests.

"It was a complete and utter shock."

The grieving widow agreed that the new findings put a different slant on the case - after months of David being blamed for the tragedy.

She added: "It was all David's fault, they said.

"That's the situation I have had to put up with for months. No one cared about us."

Toxicology results on the £15million Cardiff striker's body showed he had a saturation level of 58 per cent of carbon monoxide (CO) in his blood.

Medics say any exposure over 50 per cent to a healthy human can result in seizures, unconsciousness and heart attacks.

While his body has never been found, the AAIB confirmed Mr Ibbotson would've likely suffered the same deadly exposure as Sala - which would've "impaired his ability to fly".

The report said: "It is clear from the symptoms that exposure to CO can reduce or inhibit a pilot’s ability to fly an aircraft depending on the level of that exposure."

It found the CO gas would likely have leaked from the exhaust into the cabin from "poor sealing or leaks in the ventilation system".

The AAIB did not specify who should've been responsible for checking the plane but said probing "human error" formed an integral part of its investigation.

Sala's family said the report raised "further questions" into his death, while Cardiff City vowed to "hold those responsible to account".

'WE NEED ANSWERS'

It comes as pilot David Henderson, 64, remains under police investigation after it emerged he had been the one registered as taking charge of the flight.

Det Insp Simon Huxter, of Dorset Police, said officers “have to consider whether there is evidence of suspected criminality”.

He added: “As a result of our inquiries, we have arrested a 64-year-old man from North Yorkshire on suspicion of manslaughter by an unlawful act.”

Speaking on behalf of Sala's family today, lawyer Daniel Machover, of Hickman & Rose solicitors, said: "That dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide have been found in Emiliano's body raises many questions for the family.

"How he died will be determined at the inquest in due course.

"The family believe that a detailed technical examination of the plane is necessary.

"The family and the public need to know how the carbon monoxide was able to enter the cabin.

"Future air safety rests on knowing as much as possible on this issue.

"Emiliano's family call on the AAIB to salvage the wreckage of the plane without further delay."

Argentine ace Sala, 28, had just signed for Cardiff City for £15million from Nantes and was flying to meet his teammates when the Piper Malibu PA-46 flown by Mr Ibbotson went down off Guernsey on January 21, 2019.

Ibbotson did not issue a mayday call but did request to descend - before losing contact with Jersey air traffic control. He is not thought to have expressed feeling unwell.

Authorities launched a search for the aircraft but it was later axed. A £324,000 privately-funded hunt found the plane on February 3.

Sala's body was recovered three days later.

The body of pilot Mr Ibbotson, of Crowle, Lincs, is still missing.

In the wake of the AAIB toxicology results, aviation expert Julian Bray said: "Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, the pilot wouldn't even have known.

"It suggests it was the plane and not the pilot which was at fault.

"The pilot will have been left unable to fly, although we'll never fully know his physical state as the plane hit the water.

"It sounds as though there was an engineering fault which has allowed carbon monoxide to become present in the cabin and that will be the focus of the investigation going forward.

"I suspect they'll have put this out now so other airmen are on alert for the potential risks, especially those flying similar planes.

"But it's extremely rare for this to happen and sounds like there must have been some sort of maintenance issue which meant the plane should never have been in the air in the first place."

Terry Tozer, a former pilot and one of the UK's leading aviation experts, described the presence of carbon monoxide a cockpit as "very rare".

He said: "You would not consider this a high risk but it is not uncommon for piston engined aircraft to have simple detectors in the cabin.

"Carbon Monoxide is odourless and so you would not be aware of breathing it unless it was accompanied by a smell - say of exhaust fumes, which would be the only likely source of it as well.

"Pilots should know about it but may not know they are suffering from it without an indicator of some sort.

"Ultimately if the pilot was affected it would impair his ability to operate the aircraft.

"However, we know that he was in touch with ATC requesting descent and he must have been conscious then.

"Without instrument and night qualifications he would have been under pressure anyway and if his senses were impaired by this then that may have assisted in his disorientation and loss of control."

Speaking today, Cardiff City said: "CCFC is concerned at the AAIB's latest report which once again highlights that the aircraft used for Emiliano Sala was not appropriate.

"We continue to believe that those who were instrumental in arranging its usage are held to account for this tragedy."

Sala's dad Horacio, who has since died of a heart attack, told a BBC documentary in May: "With all the money that had been paid for him, why was it so hard for them to find something safe?

"Why couldn't they? But they left him alone. They left him like a dog. They left him. They abandoned him."

It comes after two people are facing prison after admitting they accessed footage of Sala's postmortem examination.

Christopher Ashford, 62, and Sherry Bray, 49, admitted illegally accessing CCTV at Bournemouth Mortuary.

Both admitted three counts of securing unauthorised access to computer material.

TOXIC TWIST Emiliano Sala and pilot suffered deadly carbon monoxide poisoning in cockpit before plane crashed in Channel
Pilot David Ibbotson's body has not been foundCredit: BPM

TOXIC TWIST Emiliano Sala and pilot suffered deadly carbon monoxide poisoning in cockpit before plane crashed in Channel
Part of the Piper Malibu aircraft was found on the seabed under the English Channel Credit: AAIB

TOXIC TWIST Emiliano Sala and pilot suffered deadly carbon monoxide poisoning in cockpit before plane crashed in Channel
The body of Sala was retrieved from the wreckage Credit: AFP

TOXIC TWIST Emiliano Sala and pilot suffered deadly carbon monoxide poisoning in cockpit before plane crashed in Channel
The Piper Malibu aircraft crashed into the Channel in January this year Credit: PA

TOXIC TWIST Emiliano Sala and pilot suffered deadly carbon monoxide poisoning in cockpit before plane crashed in Channel
Tributes had flowed for the footballer and pilot after the tragedy Credit: Gettyr



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