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Pilot of the small plane flew without a license

The death of Emiliano Sala in January 2019 had shaken the football world. Now it turns out: the plane crash was a pilot error.

(apa / dpa)

The pilot of Emiliano Sala, who died in a fatal accident last year, did not have a valid license for commercial flights. This emerges from the UK Aircraft Accident Authority’s final report, released on Friday. The 59-year-old pilot had therefore not completed any training hours for night flights, was probably affected by carbon monoxide poisoning at the time of the crash and was also traveling too quickly.

The small plane in which Emiliano Sala was sitting was missing for about two weeks and was finally discovered on the seabed. Pictured: the portrait of the then 28-year-old footballer.

Rebecca Naden / Reuters

Both men died on the evening of January 21, 2019 while flying a propeller plane from France to Wales across the English Channel. The small plane crashed headlong into the sea after a failed flight maneuver near the Channel Island of Guernsey. Apparently the pilot wanted to avoid bad weather. But the plane broke during the maneuver, which was carried out at too high a speed.

Argentinian Sala, who was 28 at the time, was active for FC Nantes and was on his way to his new club Cardiff City after a transfer of millions. It was only after almost two weeks of searching that the plane was discovered on the sea floor. According to the autopsy, Sala died of injuries to the head and trunk, the body of the pilot was never found. Both football clubs are still arguing over whether part of the transfer amount has to be paid.

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