US Politics | Mum’s tribute to her ‘wonderful boy’ after Brit, 22, is killed by helicopter blades on holiday in ‘horrible accident’
A DEVASTATED mother has paid tribute to her ...wonderful... son after the 22-year-old was killed by a high-speed helicopter rotor blade. Horrified onlookers screamed at Jack Fenton to stop as cops fear he may have been attempting to take a selfie in front of the aircraft in Athens. facebookJack Fenton, 22, was killed after being struck by the chopper's rear rotor '/ ' AthenaThe Brit was killed instantly by a sweeping blade after disembarking from the chopper '/ ' But he was struck by the craft's rear blade, which was spinning at up to 500 rotations a second and would have been virtually invisible. The pilot of the black Bell 407 craft \- who is said to be "deeply traumatised" by the incident \- and two ground technicians have been arrested. Mum Victoria, of Tonbridge, Kent, called her son a ...wonderful boy... and said what happened to him was a ...horrible accident.... ...We only found out what happened at 10pm last night,... she told MailOnline. Read more world news 'POISON' MYSTERY Mass 'poisoning' horror as 28 people die and 60 others are struck down SHAM Shamima makes new plea to return to UK claiming she's 'voice AGAINST radicalisation' ...We are completely devastated. He was the most wonderful boy. ...I think the pilot is in custody, but it was the most horrible of accidents by the looks of it.... She said Jack had travelled to Greece with some of his friends to celebrate a birthday. ...He had got off safely when it landed in Athens but for some reason went back behind the helicopter and it was the rear propeller which killed him. It was instant,... she added. Most read in The US Sun BABY LOVE Kardashian fans go wild after Kourtney posts pic of Khloe touching her BABY BUMP HOST OF PROBLEMS? 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Desperate family members and the authorities are now trying to piece together exactly what happened. His pal Jack Stanton-Gleaves, who was in the same helicopter, said ...no instructions were given... while exiting the chopper \- and said he doesn't know why his friend turned towards the rear blade. MUM'S HEARTBREAK Greek authorities have claimed the group were led away from the helicopter, and say Jack was then on his phone as he moved quickly back towards the helicopter. Mr Stanton-Gleaves told Sun Online: ...No instructions were given when exiting the helicopter and no one escorted us to the lounge. ...All they did was open the doors for us. We disembarked on our own and no one stopped Jack from going to the rear of the helicopter. ...None of us reached the lounge before the accident happened.I've heard people say Jack was on his phone and ran back to the helicopter and this is totally untrue. ...He was not on his phone and why he turned towards the rear of the helicopter I don't know.... His grieving sister hit back at claims that Jack had ignored safety regulations in the moments leading up to his death. Daisy, 20, said the accusations were' rubbish' and that her brother had not been briefed properly by the pilot or ground crew. The student told the Mail Online: ...This was Jack's first ever helicopter ride. So you can imagine how cautious and wary, if anything, he was. ...All the rest, of him running back on the tarmac and violating protocols, is rubbish. ...Why? Because there were no protocols. They were never told what to do and what not to.... She added: ...No one knows exactly what led him back 'towards the tail rotor '. ...Perhaps he forgot something. But the line that he went back to take a selfie is rubbish. It's a lie.... She also defended her late brother by saying he ...wasn't just some rich, obnoxious kid' and that he'd been invited on the holiday to Greece. She said that her parents were now in the UK and would be waiting for Jack's body to be repatriated. Jack was travelling with pals in his chopper, while a second helicopter \- containing Robin Stanton-Gleaves, owner of Bromley FC, his son Max Stanton-Gleaves, and pal Tom Aitkins \- followed behind them. Some reports claim Jack started to move back away from the reception and towards the helicopter \- despite those around him shouting at him to stop. We are completely devastated. He was the most wonderful boy Ioannis Kandyllis, president of Greece's committee for aviation accidents \- which is probing the incident \- said Jack headed back towards the helicopter ...at pace.... He said: ...All four passengers had disembarked and were escorted to a private lounge awaiting a private flight for London. ...But as they were in the lounge the victim broke away and returned to the tarmac, rushing to the helicopter at a fast pace. ...Witnesses we spoke to said he had a phone to his ear and was walking to the aircraft quickly, defying ground crew shouting to him, 'Stop! Stop!' ...Within seconds the tragic accident occurred. It was horrific.... It's understood Jack \- who studied sports coaching and PE at Oxford Brookes and previously attended the £7,740-a-year Sutton Valance School in Kent \- "suffered horrific head injuries caused by a spinning rotor blade". After Jack was struck, the shocked pilot managed to radio the second craft and requested emergency permission to abort the landing. A police source added: "We are talking about a tragedy \- an unprecedented tragedy, a tragedy that should never have happened." facebookJack Fenton pictured with his dad Miguel '/ ' facebookJack and his mum Victoria \- who remembered him as a ...wonderful boy' '/ ' FacebookDaisy Fenton the grieving sister of Greek helicopter victim Jack Fenton has furiously hit back at claims he recklessly defied security regulations '/ ' AthenaCops are probing whether Jack may have been taking a selfie when he was killed '/ ' Sources said the group's 115-mile trip in two helicopters from their holiday in Mykonos would have cost more than £15,000 alone. And limousines were on standby at the Lolo Heliport at Spata on the outskirts of Athens to whisk the group straight to a "family-owned private jet" waiting to fly them back from the Greek capital's international airport. 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." ...UNPRECEDENTED TRAGEDY' 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. Two airport officials and the pilot have today appeared before a prosecutor to testify in connection with potential negligence charges. The pals Jack flew with \- reportedly all men in their 20s \- have all provided testimonies. Jack had started work as a junior account executive at Ball Street Network \- a media company in Southwark, South London \- in March. A spokesman told The Sun: ...Our team is in shock having just found out about this tragic news. ...We do not wish to comment further, other than to ask that the privacy of the family is respected at this difficult time. ...Our love and thoughts are with Jack's family and friends.... The headteacher at the school where Jack Fenton used to teach PE said he was "adored" by students. Claudia Miller, from Smarden Primary School, said: "The whole community at Smarden Primary are shocked and saddened to hear the tragic news about Jack Fenton. "Jack worked as a PE coach and ran sports clubs here for children aged from 5 \- 11 until March this year. "The pupils adored him and he inspired many, especially to develop a love of football. "Jack was also a pupil at the school many years ago \- our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this sad time." An FCDO spokesman said: ...We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Greece and are in contact with the local authorities.... PHOTO NIKOS DANIILIDISThey were travelling in a pair of black Bell 407 helicopters '/ ' AlamySmarden Primary School have paid tribute to their former PE teacher Jack Fenton '/ '
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