The parents of a newlywed British couple killed in a helicopter crash on the Greek island of Sifnos have arrived here to give statements and DNA samples as authorities prepared to transfer the three victims’ bodies to Athens for autopsies.
The mother and father of Alexander Cromie, 31, and Marie Ebert, 30, testified before homicide investigators from the Hellenic Police’s Violent Crime Division (DAOE), describing their children as a honeymooning pair who had come to Greece for a vacation. DNA was collected to formally complete identification of the remains.
The bodies of the couple and the pilot, 53-year-old Giorgos Raikos, were being moved Monday from Syros to the capital, where autopsies and toxicology tests were scheduled for Tuesday, more than a week after the Aug. 17 crash.
Investigators have already questioned witnesses and representatives of the company that owned the Bell 206 helicopter.
Early assessments suggest the crash may be linked to a serious malfunction or failure of the tail rotor, which caused an uncontrolled spin and loss of control shortly after takeoff from the island’s helipad.
All three on board died instantly.
The delay in conducting forensic examinations has drawn scrutiny, with experts warning that prolonged storage without proper conditions could affect toxicology and histology results.
Authorities said the tests are critical to determining the cause of the accident.