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Malawi plane crash victims named | Malawi plane crash victims named |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Five British tourists killed when their plane crashed in northern Malawi on Saturday have been named. | |
They include Daniel Turnberg, 37, of north London - son of Labour peer Lord Turnberg - and sales director Nigel Clout, 53, from Hemel Hampstead, Herts. | |
Colin Smith, 45, and his wife Dawn Rollins, 44, of Norwich, as well as David Murrell, 45, thought to be from Surrey, also died. | |
The dead Canadian pilot has not yet been identified. | |
The five tourists on the flight were part of group of eight cyclists and squash players on holiday together. | |
The Cessna aircraft had been heading from the capital city, Lilongwe, to the north of the country, when it crashed on Saturday afternoon. | The Cessna aircraft had been heading from the capital city, Lilongwe, to the north of the country, when it crashed on Saturday afternoon. |
'Bad weather' | 'Bad weather' |
"The wreckage of the plane was found by villagers in a ravine, and there were no survivors," police spokesman Willie Mwaluka told Reuters news agency. | "The wreckage of the plane was found by villagers in a ravine, and there were no survivors," police spokesman Willie Mwaluka told Reuters news agency. |
"The five Britons were on a cycling tour in the northern part of Malawi and they took a plane yesterday [Saturday] with a Canadian pilot for sight-seeing," he added. | "The five Britons were on a cycling tour in the northern part of Malawi and they took a plane yesterday [Saturday] with a Canadian pilot for sight-seeing," he added. |
An investigation has been launched into the cause of the incident, which is believed to have happened in bad weather. | An investigation has been launched into the cause of the incident, which is believed to have happened in bad weather. |
A Foreign Office spokesman said the families of the dead were being kept informed of the investigation. | |
Shadreck Chibinga, duty air traffic controller at Lilongwe International Airport, said the aircraft crashed in a river valley. | Shadreck Chibinga, duty air traffic controller at Lilongwe International Airport, said the aircraft crashed in a river valley. |
He added that there were no indications of any problems with the plane before it took off. | He added that there were no indications of any problems with the plane before it took off. |
Colleagues 'devastated' | Colleagues 'devastated' |
Lord Robert Winston, a friend of Lord Turnberg, said his son Daniel was "a modest but brilliant young doctor". | |
"This is a massive loss, not only to his family and friends but to the medical profession," he added. | |
Simon Watson, partner of the Norfolk-based accountancy firm where Ms Rollins worked said her colleagues were "devastated". | Simon Watson, partner of the Norfolk-based accountancy firm where Ms Rollins worked said her colleagues were "devastated". |
"Dawn very much loved life. She loved to go on adventurous holidays, cycling in Africa. She was very keen on the outdoors," he said. | "Dawn very much loved life. She loved to go on adventurous holidays, cycling in Africa. She was very keen on the outdoors," he said. |
Mr Clout's two daughters, believed to be in their early 20s, were being comforted by their mother, Margaret, at their home in Hemel Hempstead. | Mr Clout's two daughters, believed to be in their early 20s, were being comforted by their mother, Margaret, at their home in Hemel Hempstead. |
He was sales director at a company which made vacuum forming plastics equipment. | He was sales director at a company which made vacuum forming plastics equipment. |
The company's finance chief, Simon Fennell, said: "His was a very close family. Nigel was always talking about his wife and family and was very proud of his daughters." | The company's finance chief, Simon Fennell, said: "His was a very close family. Nigel was always talking about his wife and family and was very proud of his daughters." |
Wildlife and wilderness | Wildlife and wilderness |
The plane is understood to have been operated by Nyika Safari Company, which offers access to two reserves in the remote north of the country - Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve. | The plane is understood to have been operated by Nyika Safari Company, which offers access to two reserves in the remote north of the country - Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve. |
"Covering a total of 4,120 sq km, these two reserves contain the finest scenery, wildlife and wilderness areas to be found in the country," its website says. | "Covering a total of 4,120 sq km, these two reserves contain the finest scenery, wildlife and wilderness areas to be found in the country," its website says. |
The company apparently has its own Cessna 206, which seats four to five passengers. | The company apparently has its own Cessna 206, which seats four to five passengers. |
It offers charter flights to and from the two reserves to any other destination in Malawi. | It offers charter flights to and from the two reserves to any other destination in Malawi. |
Flights can also be arranged to regional destinations such as the Luangwa Valley in Zambia, the Mozambique coast or the great parks of southern Tanzania. | Flights can also be arranged to regional destinations such as the Luangwa Valley in Zambia, the Mozambique coast or the great parks of southern Tanzania. |
Malawi, one of the poorest countries in southern Africa, has a small tourist industry, concentrated mainly in the scenic north of the nation. | Malawi, one of the poorest countries in southern Africa, has a small tourist industry, concentrated mainly in the scenic north of the nation. |
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