British honeymoon couple and pilot die in Greek helicopter crash
British honeymooners Alexander Cromie and Marie Ebert died with their Greek pilot when their helicopter crashed on Sifnos.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A British couple on their honeymoon have been named as the victims of a helicopter crash on the Greek island of Sifnos. Alexander Cromie and Marie Ebert, both in their 30s and from London, died along with their Greek pilot, Georgios Raikos, when the private helicopter came down close to its landing pad on Monday evening.
The couple had taken off from a village near Athens and were flying to Sifnos, a popular tourist destination in the Cyclades. The crash happened at around 6pm local time, just short of the helipad. Fire crews discovered the bodies after extinguishing a blaze at the crash site.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing an unusual noise from the aircraft moments before it hit the ground. One official said videos suggested a possible malfunction, while some bystanders claimed the helicopter lost a part and began spinning. Security camera footage captured the aircraft going into a spin before crashing less than 50 metres from where it was supposed to land.
Tributes have been paid to the couple. Alexander worked at the asset management firm Blackstone, where colleagues said he was "beloved by everyone who knew and worked with him". Marie was employed at a management consultancy, where a spokesperson described her as a "much loved and respected colleague" who was "exceptional at her job". The pilot, a 55-year-old Greek national and veteran of the Greek Air Force, also died.
The island's deputy mayor visited the scene and said there was little left of the aircraft. The local community is said to be deeply shocked. "So much happiness turned into sorrow," one official said. Greek aviation safety officials have begun an investigation into the cause of the crash. The British Foreign Office said it was in contact with Greek authorities and ready to provide assistance to the families.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | ITV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The couple, Alexander Cromey and Marie Ebert, died along with their Greek pilot. | ||||
| Eyewitnesses reported an unusual noise from the helicopter before it crashed. | · | |||
| The helicopter crashed as it attempted to land on Sifnos. | · | |||
| The couple took off from Markopoulo, about 25 miles from Athens, on Monday evening. | · | · | ||
| The pilot was identified as 55-year-old Greek national Georgios Raikos. | · | · | ||
| Fire crews discovered the bodies. | · | · | · | |
| Marie Ebert worked for a consultancy firm and Alexander worked in finance. | · | · | · | |
| One eyewitness said the helicopter appeared to lose a part and spin before falling. | · | · | · | |
| The couple were both in their 30s and from London. | · | · | · | |
| The crash occurred at approximately 6 p.m. local time. | · | · | · | |
| The pilot was a veteran of the Greek Air Force. | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report led with the sad news, naming the couple and their pilot, and focused on the immediate reaction from their employers. It also highlighted the proximity of the crash site to the landing pad and the social media images of smoke, while noting the Foreign Office's support.
- “really sad as you say a British couple who were on their honeymoon have been killed in a helicopter crash.”
- “Alexander worked at an asset management company Blackstone. They said Alex was beloved by everyone who knew and worked with him”
- “We do know the couple were on a private helicopter. It's believed they were flying from a village near Athens to the island of Sifnos”
The report emphasised the human tragedy, describing the couple as newlyweds and the shock in the close-knit island community. It included an official's comment about a possible malfunction and eyewitness accounts of the aircraft's erratic course, and closed with the investigation.
- “a Young couple newlywed who'd chosen Greece for their honeymoon Alexander Cromey and Marie Ebert had nearly reached their island destination”
- “Locals reported a strange noise coming from the aircraft moments earlier”
- “So much happiness turned into sorrow”
This signed broadcast presented the same report as BBC ONE West, with identical content. The focus remained on the couple's story, the community's grief, and the ongoing investigation into the crash.
- “Some videos show that it might have been a malfunction some eyewitnesses said That its course was a bit Not normal.”
- “The crash site is now being examined by investigators from the mainland”
- “Trying to work out how a honeymoon could end like this”
The coverage combined the Evening News and News at Ten reports, which both focused on the investigation and eyewitness accounts. The News at Ten added security camera footage showing the helicopter spinning and noted the pilot's background as a veteran of the Greek Air Force, while the Evening News provided detailed tributes from the couple's employers.
- “People said that it sounded weird, you know, didn't sound healthy and some another bystander said another eyewitness said that he saw something like the helicopter lost a part of it and it started spinning around itself and fell on the ground as we all saw but nothing is certain yet.”
- “The newlyweds flew by private helicopter from an airport near Athens to the island of Sifnos in the Cyclades island group.”
- “Their pilot, a veteran of the Greek Air Force, sadly died with them.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.