Emiliano Sala died in plane crash after he was overcome by carbon monoxide from faulty exhaust, inquest finds

‘Missed opportunities’ in death of Argentinian footballer alongside pilot in January 2019, says family

Argentinian Premier League footballer Emiliano Sala died when the private plane he was travelling in crashed in the English Channel in 2019 (AFP via Getty)

An inquest jury has concluded footballer Emiliano Sala died as a result of a plane crash, having been overcome by toxic levels of carbon monoxide from the aircraft’s faulty exhaust system.

The Argentinian striker, 28, died alongside pilot David Ibbotson, 59, when the private plane he was travelling in crashed in the English Channel on 21 January 2019.

A jury at Bournemouth Town Hall found Sala was a passenger on a private plane that was being flown by a pilot who did not have the correct authority to fly at night, which broke up when it crashed into the sea.

The 28-year-old player’s body was recovered from the wreckage of the single-engine plane, but Mr Ibbotson’s remains have never been found.

Sala had been travelling from France to Wales after signing with the then Premier League club Cardiff City in a £15m transfer from French Ligue 1 side Nantes, which involved football agent Willie McKay.

Sala’s family, who knew him affectionately as Emi, said the inquest had exposed “many of the missed opportunities in the worlds of football and aviation to prevent his tragic death”, following its conclusion on Thursday.

Pathologist Dr Basil Purdue said Sala had been overcome by “severe poisoning” and would have been “deeply unconscious” prior to the plane crashing.

Dr Purdue said Sala was still alive at the point of impact and died from severe head and chest injuries.

An engineering expert said the most likely cause for the build-up of carbon monoxide inside the cabin was from the plane’s faulty exhaust system.

Image from video issued by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch showing the wreckage of the plane (Air Accidents Investigation Branch/PA)

Pilot and businessman David Henderson, 67, managed the aircraft on behalf of its owner, and arranged flights, pilots and maintenance despite not being the legally registered operator.

A long-time client was Mr McKay, who was helping his son Mark’s firm represent Nantes in the transfer.

Mr McKay, who was barred at the time from acting as an agent in the transfer in his own right because he was an undischarged bankrupt, arranged the flights to and from Nantes after Sala had completed a medical in Cardiff.

He said he had only wanted to help Sala get home, and claimed Cardiff City had “abandoned” him.

Flowers are displayed in front of the portrait of Argentinian forward Emiliano Sala at the Beaujoire stadium in Nantes a month after his death (AFP/Getty)

Mr McKay denied knowingly arranging illegal “grey” flights – private charters carrying paying passengers. Henderson did not have an air operator’s certificate (AOC), which would have allowed him to fly paying passengers.

As well as not having an AOC, the court heard Henderson kept no records of the qualifications of the pilots who flew for him, and no records or invoices for his business.

Mr Ibbotson reported to Henderson that he had heard a loud bang on the outward flight from Cardiff to Nantes, but no investigation was carried out when the plane landed in France.

Mr Ibbotson had been banned from flying the Piper Malibu by its owner following two airspace infringements months earlier, but Henderson allowed him to continue. Mr Ibbotson held a private pilot’s licence, which did not permit him to fly passengers commercially, and he was not allowed to fly at night.

Last year Henderson was jailed for 18 months after being convicted of endangering the safety of an aircraft by using Mr Ibbotson’s services when he knew he did not have the relevant licence.

He admitted a further offence of trying to arrange a flight for a passenger without permission or authorisation.

David Henderson, the businessman who organised the flight that killed Emiliano Sala, was jailed for 18 months in 2021 (PA)

In a statement released through their solicitor on Thursday, Sala’s family said: “Emiliano’s family would like to thank the coroner and the jury for their hard work on this case.

“They welcome the detailed investigation and the jury’s diligent questioning and are grateful for the opportunity for members of the family to attend the hearing remotely from Argentina.

“This inquest has exposed the complex facts leading to Emiliano’s untimely death. It has shone a bright light on many of the missed opportunities in the worlds of football and aviation to prevent his tragic death.

“The family particularly note the jury’s findings that it is likely that both the pilot and Emiliano suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning and that Emiliano was deeply unconscious at the time of the accident, and that the poisoning was caused by a failure in the aircraft exhaust system.

“The family also welcome the coroner’s decision to communicate to the relevant authorities her concerns about the safety issues arising from this inquest in order to prevent similar future deaths. No family should have to go through grief from a similar avoidable accident.”

Additional reporting by Press Association