Aylesbury Air Crash Victims Formally Identified As Michael Green, Savaan Mundae, Jaspal Bahra And Thanh Nguyen

A helicopter and a small plane collided in Buckinghamshire.
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Four men who died in a mid-air crash between a helicopter and a small plane have been formally identified.

The victims died in the accident above Waddesdon, in Buckinghamshire, on Friday.

They have been named as Savaan Mundae, 18, Jaspal Bahra, 27, Thanh Nguyen, 32 and Michael Green, 74.

Four men who died in the Aylesbury air crash formally identified
Four men who died in the Aylesbury air crash formally identified
PA Wire/PA Images
A forensic tent at the scene near Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
A forensic tent at the scene near Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
PA Wire/PA Images

Thames Valley Police said the Air Accident Investigation Branch is still investigating the crash, which took place at about midday over woodland near the Waddesdon Estate, the former country seat of the Rothschild banking dynasty.

Both aircraft came from the Wycombe airstrip, also known as Booker Airfield, which is about 20 miles from the crash site.

Green worked at Helicopter Services Ltd at Wycombe Air Park for the past 15 years, the company said in a statement.

Michael Green has been named as one of the victims of the crash
Michael Green has been named as one of the victims of the crash

Helicopter Services said in a statement that staff were “crushed” by their colleague’s death.

Helicopter Services’ statement continued:

“Mike was an extraordinarily gifted pilot, instructor and examiner, greatly respected by students and his peers alike. He was a true gentleman, a disappearing kind.

“He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and were touched, coached and mentored by him, as there will be many pilots, both military and civilian, who owe him a huge debt of gratitude. His passing leaves a huge void not only with his family and at Helicopter Services, but also in the helicopter world.

“He is greatly missed by his partner Mary, his son, his daughter and grandchildren.

“On that terrible day, he was with one of his two Vietnamese Military students. Nguyen Thanh Trung will also be greatly missed by his family and community and our thoughts go out to them.

“The Cessna involved was also on a training flight from Wycombe Air Park. The instructor and student both perished and our thoughts are also with their family, friends and colleagues.”

The fatal collision took place just 15 minutes after the helicopter took off.

Vietnamese authorities said Nguyen had been undertaking helicopter training in the UK with veteran instructor Green when their aircraft was hit by a light plane.

The tail of the Cabri G2 helicopter was clipped by the descending two-seater Cessna 152 at a height of around 1,000ft, Vietnam’s ministry of defence said in a statement.

The plane involved was built in 1982 and owned by Airways Aero Associations, which is based at the Wycombe Air Park.

Thames Valley Police said in a statement: “Our thoughts remain with the families of those involved in the accident. Our family liaison officers continue to offer support the victims’ families.”

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