Pilot’s final actions spark mystery over death of newlywed Brit couple in helicopter crash

As tributes flood in for the British newlyweds who tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash, more details have emerged about their final moments in the air.

Alexander Cromie, 31, and his wife Marie Ebert, 30, both died on their honeymoon when the private helicopter crashed and sparked a major fire in the Tholos area of Aegean island Sifnos.

Experienced pilot Giorgos Raikos, 55, also sadly perished in the crash on Monday, and now audio footage has provided more questions than answers, after things went silent as the chopper suddenly spiralled and plummeted towards the ground.

Raikos, who had piloted thousands of flights, had radioed in moments earlier to suggest that he was preparing to land on the helipad in Sifnos, but then there was no distress call or any noise whatsoever as it rotated in the air before it rapidly lost altitude and ultimately exploded.

Investigations into the crash are underway, with authorities now trying to determine if there was a critical mechanical failure of if Raikos had some sort of medical episode which prevented him from landing the helicopter.

Reports from local residents point towards the former, with several suggesting that they heard a strange noise coming from the helicopter before it fell to the earth.

Deputy Mayor of Sifnos, Manolis Fountoulakis told ERTnews: “It probably had a mechanical failure in the air.

“This is because the propeller was doing something strange… it was making a very loud noise.”

Alex Cromie (Facebook)

A Sifnos resident suggested similar to The Sun, saying: “I heard a loud noise and smelled something burnt.

“I went out straight away and saw thick black smoke billowing from the site.

“It appears that the pilot lost control before landing – the area where it crashed is a densely populated area so if he had realised something was wrong he would have tried to land somewhere else like in Herronisso.

“It looks like he attempted to land but didn’t make it on time.”

Smoke was also seen billowing from the aircraft as it approached the ground and while emergency services were on the scene swiftly, the explosion sadly gave those inside the vehicle little chance of survival.

It is sadly only the latest in a worryingly long list of fatal aviation incidents in the last couple of years, with six people all losing their lives in a tragic helicopter crash back in 2025.

The incident caused a major fire (X)

In a statement issued to the Press Association, a spokesperson for asset management firm Blackstone, where Cromie worked as a vice president in private wealth solutions, said: “We are shocked by the tragic passing of three people including our colleague Alex Cromie and his wife Marie Ebert, who were celebrating their honeymoon.

“Alex was beloved by everyone who knew and worked with him at Blackstone, and our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.”

Meanwhile, Ms Ebert’s employers at Bain & Company said they were 'devastated' by the news of her death.

A spokesperson for Bain & Company said: “Marie Ebert was a much-loved and deeply respected member of our London team. She was exceptional at her job, admired by everyone who worked with her, and had an extraordinary future ahead of her. We are devastated.

“Our thoughts are with Marie’s family, with her husband Alex’s family, and with the friends and colleagues who are grieving them both.

“We also extend our sympathies to the family of the pilot who lost his life as well.

“Marie will be greatly missed by all of us at Bain, and we are doing everything we can to support her family and colleagues at this time.”

A Foreign Office spokesperson told ITV News: “We are in contact with the local authorities and are urgently seeking further information. Our staff stand ready to provide consular support to those affected.”

LADbible has contacted the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for further comment.