TOP STORIES - Emiliano Sala's case: pilot had been banned from flying

France 24 report that the owner of the Piper Malibu plane on which Emiliano Sala lost his life in January of 2019 has told a trial that she had banned the pilot from flying, in an email sent months before.

The email was sent to David Henderson, the man currently on trial in Cardiff as the alleged organiser of the flight the Argentine lost his life on. Keely, giving her testimony, indicated that she had bought the plane on Henderson’s and allowed him to operate it.  

The email in question was sent in July 2018, with Henderson ignoring Keely’s orders by calling on Ibbotson two months afterwards. She had made the decision after the Civil Aviation Authority had informed her of two infringements on the part of Ibbotson. Keely also explains that she had not given Henderson permission to name Ibbotson as the pilot for the flight.

The pilot, David Ibbotson – who investigators found was not licensed to fly the plane, or to fly at night – nevertheless took charge of carrying Sala to Cardiff, with the prosecution telling the court that Henderson had been unavailable to fly on the night and arranged the replacement.

So far, Henderson has admitted one charge of attempting to discharge a passenger without valid permission or authorisation.