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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
William Mata

Jack Fenton: British helicopter tragedy victim was ‘not taking a selfie’ , investigators admit

Jack Fenton died while in Greece

(Picture: Facebook )

Jack Fenton, the British man who died after being struck by a helicopter propeller in Greece, was not taking a selfie at the moment of tragedy, investigators have admitted.

Authorities are now considering if the 22-year-old was rushing back to retrieve his phone when he was fatally struck by the rear spinning rotor.

Ioannis Kondylis, chairman of Greece’s accident investigation and flight safety committee, told local media an initial conclusion that Mr Kenton had been taking a selfie had been ruled out.

“From the testimonies we have collected, it does not appear from anywhere that the young man wanted to take a selfie but he found himself at the back of the helicopter,” he said.

Jack Fenton was said to be a keen footballer (LinkedIn)

”What is reported is that the 22-year-old was holding a mobile phone and had it to his ear, but it has not yet been clarified whether he was talking or simply returning to join his friends.”

Mr Fenton, from Kent, was in Mykonos on holiday with friends this week and had just disembarked from the Bell 407 when he was struck by the rotor, spinning at 500 rotations a second. Greek police arrested two pilots and a member of the ground crew on suspicion of negligent homicide.

It is believed Mr Fenton ducked under the tail of the craft but would not have seen the invisible, and lethal, tail rotor - which killed him instantly.

His sister, who was with the family at home, has also ruled out the selfie theory in interviews but says she is not sure why he ran back to the craft.

The Foreign Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Greece."

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