21-year-old Jack Fenton reportedly died instantly when he was hit by a helicopter’s rear rotor while attempting to take a selfie by the aircraft Monday.
The British tourist disembarked in Athens from a helicopter he had chartered from Mykonos, The Guardian reported. He reportedly suffered the fatal injury after being struck in the head by the helicopter’s spinning rotor blade.
Two ground engineers and the pilot of the helicopter were detained and later released, pending the results of an expedited investigation, the outlet noted. “Our inquiry has focused on possible negligence,” a police source told The Guardian.
“Basic questions have emerged from witness testimony as to why the blades were not at a standstill when passengers were allowed to disembark on Monday,” the source continued, according to The Guardian. Initial reports indicate Fenton was struck by the rear rotors of the helicopter within seconds of disembarking the Bell 407 aircraft. He was attempting to take a selfie next to the helicopter when the incident occurred, the outlet noted.
Three of Fenton’s friends were also on board the helicopter and saw the scene unfold, according to The Sun. The pilot, who also witnessed the gruesome moment, is said to be “deeply traumatized,” the outlet noted. (RELATED: Famous Chef Justin Sutherland Shares Gruesome Photos Of His Facial Injuries)
British man killed in Greek helicopter accident https://t.co/lzy1ZGgIIF
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) July 26, 2022
Jack Stanton-Gleaves, a friend of Fenton’s who was in the helicopter, revealed “no instructions were given” as his friend disembarked from the helicopter. Stanton-Gleaves added that he was unsure why Fenton was so close to the rear helicopter blades, The Sun reported.
Fenton’s parents were reportedly flying behind Fenton and his friends in a second helicopter. They were unaware of what had happened until their own pilot was alerted and they were diverted to Athens international airport, according to The Guardian.