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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Adam May

Brit, 22, killed by helicopter blade was not taking a selfie, Greek officials admit

A young Brit wasn't trying to take a selfie when he was killed by a helicopter blade, Greek officials admit.

Jack Fenton, 22, was killed in Athens on Monday, with his family saying they were left "completely devastated" by the loss of their "wonderful" boy.

He died instantly when the rear rotor blade of the Bell 407 hit him in the head at around 6.20pm.

Jack, understood to be a student at Oxford Brooks University, was in the Greek capital after a brief holiday in Mykonos with friends.

Investigators have now reportedly ruled out the possibility that Jack was attempting to take a selfie when he died.

Instead, officers are now exploring the possibility that he forgot his mobile phone while getting off the helicopter, rushed back to get it and accidentally turned towards its spinning tail after retrieving the device.

Emergency services rushed to the scene near Athens on Monday (John Liakos/Intime News/Athena Pictures)

"Our investigation is continuing but one of the major areas that we are exploring is that Jack forgot his mobile phone on the helicopter and that’s why he suddenly returned to it," a spokesman for Greek police told MailOnline.

"We are still in the process of completing our interviews but a number of eyewitnesses saw him with a mobile phone in his hand, moments before he was killed.

"Once our investigation has been completed, we will send the file to the prosecutor who will decide if there are to be any charges.

Pilot Christos Fragkopanagos has been named by local media as the pilot who has been asked to testify over the tragedy.

Jack Fenton, 22, was killed in Athens on Monday, with his family saying they were left "completely devastated" by the loss of their "wonderful" boy (Facebook)

Ioannis Kondylis, Chairman of Greece’s Accident Investigation and Flight Safety Committee, who are investigating the accident, say that it doesn't appear he was taking a selfie at the time.

They add that while Jack appears to be holding a mobile phone and had it to his ear, it has not yet been confirmed whether he was talking or simply returning to join his friends.

Jack's heartbroken mum Victoria claims her son had exited the helicopter safely after it landed but went behind it and was killed instantly by the rear propeller.

After his death, James Thomas, headmaster of Sutton Valence School, said: "Our school was very sad to hear the tragic news about Jack this morning.

Marie Carmen Vaccaro, grandmother of Jack Fenton (middle) and Miguel, Jack’s father (Miguel Fenton/Facebook)

"He was a very popular member of the community, and we have sent our condolences to the family.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the incident."

After his death, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Greece and are in contact with the local authorities."

Meanwhile, a statement from Mr Fenton's employer, social media agency Ball Street Network in London, to the BBC added: "Our team is in shock having just found out about this tragic news.

"Our love and thoughts are with Jack's family and friends."

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