Tributes paid to air crash victim

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Tributes have been paid by colleagues to a financial economist who died with his partner and son in a light aircraft which crashed in the French Alps.

Dr Shimon Awerbuch and Maria Ribiero, who lived in Hove, East Sussex, died with Dr Awerbuch's seven-year-old son, Everett, on 10 February.

Dr Awerbuch was a senior fellow at the University of Sussex.

"He was unfailingly enthusiastic and very supportive of other colleagues," said Professor Gordon Mackerron.

Dr Awerbuch and Ms Ribiero were US nationals who had lived in the UK for a number of years.

The Israeli-born financial economist specialised in energy, regulatory economics and market restructuring.

'Exciting ideas'

He had also advised government agencies in the US, Europe, Mexico, the United Nations and the World Bank.

He had taught graduate and undergraduate courses in the science and technology policy research department at the University of Sussex.

"He had lots of exciting and creative ideas," said friend and colleague Prof Mackerron.

"He was making some important breakthroughs, which we thought were terribly exciting, which it is sad to say he is no longer able to follow up."

Dr Awerbuch was the pilot of a Piper Seneca which crashed in France on Saturday.

The aircraft was bound for Cannes when Dr Awerbuch contacted air traffic control in France to say he was having trouble in a snow storm.

The plane disappeared from radar screens moments later.

A mountain rescue team working on foot eventually found the crash scene, at Grand Veymont, on Sunday.

The plane appeared to have hit a rock face and broken apart on impact, killing all three on board instantly.