The wealthy young Briton who was gruesomely killed in Greece when he ran into the spinning rotor blade of a helicopter has been named.
Former public schoolboy Jack Fenton, 22, was hit while walking behind the Bell 407 helicopter, with its engines still running, at 6.20pm yesterday in Athens, after flying back from the tourist hotspot of Mykonos with three friends.
According to local media, the Oxford Brookes pupil, who attended the £36,000 Sutton Valence boarding school in Maidstone, Kent, was taking a selfie when he was hit in the head by the high-speed rotor.
Emergency services were called to the private heliport on the outskirts of the Greek capital, but the victim is said to have been killed instantly.
Investigators are investigating the circumstances of the accident, but the pilot could be charged with manslaughter if he asked passengers to exit the helicopter before the engine and propeller stopped.
Former public schoolboy Jack Fenton (pictured), 22, is believed to have been using his mobile phone at the time of the accident last night
The young Briton who died horribly in a helicopter crash in Athens may have been trying to take a selfie
Jack Fenton’s father, Miguel, is Head of Marketing, Sales and PR at The Hop Farm, a 1000-acre country park and visitor attraction in Beltring, near Tonbridge, Kent (pictured together).
The Oxford University Brookes student, who attended the £36,000 Sutton Valence boarding school in Maidstone, Kent, reportedly walked after the Bell 407 helicopter while its engines were still on
Emergency services are pictured last night at the scene of the incident involving a man who died when a helicopter rear propeller struck him in Spata near Athens, Greece
Pictured: The Bell 407 involved in the accident, with red police tape wrapped around the stern
The tourists had flown from Mykonos to the heliport at Spata and were scheduled to take a private limousine to Eleftherios Venizelos Airport
Athens-based Open TV reported that it’s possible the victim was “on the phone or trying to take a selfie when the accident happened.”
His parents followed in a second helicopter in a private charter from Mykonos to Athens as the group returned home to the UK after a holiday.
The pilot who landed and witnessed the shocking incident radioed his colleague and warned him of what had happened.
The pilot of the second helicopter chose to depart from the private airport in Spata and instead made an unscheduled landing at Athens International Airport to prevent Mr Fenton’s parents from witnessing the scene of the tragic accident.
The family wanted to disembark at Superior Air’s heliport before being chauffeured to Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, where they would board the family’s private jet for a flight back to the UK.
Jack Fenton’s father, Miguel, is Head of Marketing, Sales and PR at The Hop Farm, a 1,000 acre country park and visitor attraction in Beltring, near Tonbridge, Kent.
The man reportedly walked behind the Bell 407 helicopter while its engines were still on and was hit by the plane’s tail rotor
Police sources have not revealed the family involved, but they are believed to be extremely wealthy (police and emergency services are pictured at the scene last night).
Emergency services were called to the private heliport on the outskirts of Athens, but the victim is believed to have been killed almost immediately (pictured today’s scene).
A Hop Farm spokesman told Web: “This is a personal matter, has nothing to do with business and we have no comment.”
Until 1997 the farm was known and owned by the brewery as The Whitbread Hop Farm and boasts the largest collection of oast houses in the world.
Police and aircraft investigators will focus on why Mr Fenton exited the plane while the rotors were still spinning.
The propellers typically continue to spin for about two minutes after the engine shuts off, unless the pilot presses a button to stop them after about 50 seconds.
Pilots should thoroughly instruct their passengers to remain inside until all movement has ceased, but the helicopter has no locks and no crew other than the pilot to attend to the passengers.
The pilot and two airport officials appeared before a prosecutor today and testified about possible negligence.
Police sources have not revealed the family involved but it is understood they are extremely wealthy and have been enjoying a holiday on the luxury Greek island of Mykonos (pictured).
Fenton’s friends, who are all in their 20s, also made statements before returning to the UK.
South East Attica Police Officers Union President George Kaliakmanis told Web: “To my knowledge, the Bell 407 helicopter type does not lock from the inside.
“So the investigation will now focus on the safety measures taken by the pilot. Did he tell them to wait or not?
“The helicopter has two propellers. One operating at 500 rpm and one operating at 2500 rpm. These propellers will run for about 2 minutes from the time he turns off the engine unless he presses a button which stops them after 50 seconds. Also keep in mind that the propellers are not visible because of the speed.’
Sources said the 115-mile journey in two helicopters would have cost more than £15,000.