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Fatal air crash inquiry continues University names air crash victim
(about 5 hours later)
Investigations are continuing into a light aircraft crash in the French Alps in which three members of a family died after taking off from West Sussex. One of the victims of a light aircraft crash in the French Alps has been named as Dr Shimon Awerbuch, an Israeli-born US national who lived in East Sussex.
The twin-engine Piper PA-34 Seneca lost control in a snow storm and crashed into a mountain in Grand Veymont. His identity was confirmed by the University of Sussex, where Dr Awerbuch was a senior fellow in the science and technology policy research unit.
The aircraft took off from Shoreham Airport on Saturday for Cannes. He was the pilot of a Piper Seneca that crashed on Saturday after taking off from Shoreham Airport, West Sussex.
French police said the pilot was an Israeli-born man with US nationality, while the other victims were an American woman and child. Two other people, an American woman and child, were also killed in the crash.
The Foreign Office in London had earlier said it believed the three people were American. Dr Awerbuch's website said he was a financial economist of 30 years' experience, who had previously served as a senior adviser for energy economics, finance and technology with the International Energy Agency in Paris.
The plane certainly flew regularly from here to other airports both in the UK and abroad Shoreham Airport manager John Haffenden A University of Sussex spokeswoman said they were given official confirmation of his death by the American Embassy in Paris on Monday evening.
The family, thought to have been living in the UK, were found at the crash scene on Sunday. Rescue teams
Shoreham Airport manager, John Haffenden, said: "I knew who they were but I haven't been given any information to allow their identities to be released. The aircraft was bound for Cannes when Dr Awerbuch, who lived in Hove, contacted air traffic control in France to say he was having trouble in a snow storm.
"The plane certainly flew regularly from here to other airports both in the UK and abroad." The plane disappeared from radar screens moments later and rescue helicopters were scrambled to locate it.
He said the airport was co-operating with the authorities in the UK, France and America. A mountain rescue team working on foot eventually found the crash scene, at Grand Veymont, on Sunday.
The aircraft was not registered in Britain.
Poor weather
The pilot contacted air traffic control on Saturday afternoon to say he was in trouble, but the plane disappeared from radar screens moments later.
Rescue helicopters were immediately scrambled to try to locate it, but could not begin a full search until later that evening because of poor weather conditions.
The operation involved up to 100 people and at least five helicopters.
The crash scene was eventually found by a mountain rescue team on foot.
The plane appeared to have hit a rock face and broken apart on impact, killing all three on board instantly.The plane appeared to have hit a rock face and broken apart on impact, killing all three on board instantly.
The Piper Seneca was not registered in Britain, but John Haffenden, manager of Shoreham Airport, said: "It certainly flew regularly from here to other airports both in the UK and abroad."
Mr Haffenden said the airport was co-operating with the authorities in the UK, France and America.