Probe into mystery Velez-Malaga plane crash

STRONG winds are thought to be the cause of a crashed which killed a pilot and his British passenger in Velez-Malaga, the National Police report.

The accident occurred at around 3pm on Sunday after their light aircraft approached the runway near the municipal aerodrome, according to a local Spanish daily.

Landing was aborted and the pilot tried unsuccessfully to regain height, explained Carlos Sedano, vice-president of the Real Aeroclub de Malaga.

On seeing the aircraft go into a spin, witnesses called the emergency services.

The aeroplane crashed in El Trapiche, an area where other light aircraft have crashed in the past.

One of the worst took place in August 2003, when four people lost their lives en route to Granada.

The two men were identified as 35-year-old Francisco Javier G.D. and JR also 35, the flying instructor and the British man respectively.

Members of the Malaga fire brigade had to cut away the aircraft’s fuselage to remove the bodies of the men who died instantly, medics said.

The passenger was receiving a flying lesson, according to some sources.

At least three discount-voucher internet websites were offering €80 trips from the aerodrome on the day of the accident.

There are conflicting press reports which suggest dead man’s girlfriend, waiting below, had either intended to go up after he landed or had already been up first with no problems.

A spokesman for the British Embassy in Madrid said: “We are aware of the death of a British national and have offered consular assistance.

The British Consulate in Malaga also continues to liaise with the relevant local authorities.

“ An official enquiry is being carried out by the Civil Aviation Accidents and Incidents Investigation Committee, which belongs to the Ministry of Public Works.