Experts Call For Full Investigation Into Chartered Flight

Aviation law experts at Irwin Mitchell have called for a thorough investigation into the light plane crash in Botswana which claimed the lives of eight people, including two Britons, to be completed as soon as possible.

Authorities in the country have confirmed that three French women, three Swiss and one British tourist were on board the Cessna 208 aircraft which reportedly crashed shortly after take-off from the Xakanaxa airfield on Friday (October 14th).

The British pilot, who has since been named as Martin Gresswell, was also killed in the incident. Two other French tourists and two Botswana nationals survived the crash.

Moremi Air, the company which chartered the flight, said its fleet of aircraft has been grounded as the investigation into the plane crash continues.

Irwin Mitchell’s Aviation Law team, which acts for the families of people who have been seriously injured or killed in air accidents both in the UK and abroad, has successfully acted for victims in a number of other Cessna aircraft crashes in Africa, South America and Europe. The firm is keen for the authorities to quickly determine the cause of this latest incident.

Jim Morris, a former RAF pilot who is a Partner and specialist aviation lawyer, said: “The reports of this aircraft crash have raised a number of questions which we hope that authorities in the country will be able to quickly answer in relation to this very worrying incident.

“Of particular concern is the suggestion in some reports that shortly after takeoff one of the passengers tried to escape while airborne and was fatally injured in the fall from the aircraft.  If this is correct, when twinned with the significant experience of the pilot, this suggests that some kind of mechanical fault or fire in flight may have been a factor.

“It is welcomed that Moremi Air has chosen to ground its fleet while the investigation considers every aspect of this incident. We hope, ultimately, that lessons can be learnt which will go some way to preventing similar problems in the future and improving flight safety in relation to Cessna aircraft in general.”

“Our thoughts are with the victims and families of this tragedy.”