Emiliano Sala: Cardiff City express 'grave concerns' over plane crash report and pilot's licence to fly

The AAIB's report noted that the type of licence held by the pilot David Ibbotson meant he could only fly passengers in the European Union on a cost sharing basis, rather than for commercial flights

Cardiff City say they have "grave concerns" over the initial report into the crash that led to Emiliano Sala's death and the pilot's license to fly.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) named "regulatory requirements" as one of four areas in which further work will be carried out in the first official report into January's tragic crash.

Its interim report noted that the type of licence held by the pilot David Ibbotson meant he could only fly passengers in the European Union on a cost sharing basis, rather than for commercial flights. Pilots with his licence "must have a bona fide purpose for making the flight", according to the AAIB.

"The club acknowledges the publication today by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) of their special bulletin on the loss of the Piper Malibu aircraft carrying Emiliano Sala," a club statement read on Monday evening.

"We have grave concerns that questions still remain over the validity of the pilot’s licence and rating to undertake such a journey, as identified in the bulletin.

"We are also concerned to discover that the trip involved an aircraft which did not conform to either UK CAA or US FAA requirements for commercial activity and therefore may have been operating unlawfully.

"We welcome further investigation into the accident, which is required to determine precisely what happened, and to ensure changes are made so that this situation never happens again."

Argentinian footballer Sala had just signed for Cardiff City from French club Nantes for £15 million when the plane crashed into the Channel on January 21.

He was the only passenger on board the Piper Malibu aircraft flying from Nantes to the Welsh capital.

His body was recovered on February 6 but pilot Ibbotson, 59, of Crowle, Lincolnshire, has not been located.

Mr Ibbotson's family hope a fresh search for his body will begin this week after setting up an online fundraising campaign which has reached £250,000.

The aircraft remains underwater off the coast of Guernsey after an attempt to recover it was hampered by bad weather.