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Paramotorist weeps at inquiry over fatal mid-air crash
2 Mar
Summary
- Paramotorist Sacha Dench testified tearfully at a fatal accident inquiry.
- The inquiry concerns a mid-air collision that killed her co-pilot, Dan Burton.
- Their "Round Britain Climate Challenge" aimed to highlight climate change issues.
Sacha Dench, dubbed the "human swan," emotionally testified at a fatal accident inquiry regarding a mid-air collision. The incident occurred during the "Round Britain Climate Challenge," an expedition aimed at highlighting climate change issues ahead of the Cop26 conference. This collision tragically resulted in the death of her co-pilot, Dan Burton, 54, while Ms. Dench sustained severe injuries.
Ms. Dench, who had previously undertaken a similar expedition documented in the BBC series "Flight Of The Swans," described her long-standing working relationship with Mr. Burton. She noted that he was an exceptionally experienced expedition pilot. The inquiry heard that the "Round Britain Climate Challenge," initially planned as a continuous circumnavigation, was modified due to the paramotors' limited battery life.
During her testimony at Tain Sheriff Court, Ms. Dench became visibly distressed on multiple occasions, leading to adjournments. She explained the pair communicated via Bluetooth headsets, discussing scenery and weather. The planned landing site on the day of the crash was near Ullapool, but the collision occurred elsewhere.
