British tourist killed in Athens while taking selfie too close to helicopter blade

A tourist from the United Kingdom has reportedly died in Athens, Greece after posing for a selfie too close to a helicopter blade, reports confirmed on Tuesday.

Two ground engineers and the aircraft’s pilot, who had been detained after the incident on Monday, were freed pending the results of the investigation.

The 21-year-old victim, identified as Jack Fenton, was reportedly killed instantly. He was supposed to return to the UK on a private jet after visiting Mykonos on vacation with his parents.

While the Oxford Brooks University student was thought to have died after attempting to take a selfie, friend of Fenton’s who was also in the helicopter, said that the student was not using his phone when the accident happened.

A court inquiry was ordered after the results of a police investigation were delivered to the state prosecutor on Tuesday.

The investigation is focused on possible negligence, with queries on why the helicopter blades were still in motion as the passengers left the aircraft.

Greece’s committee for aviation accidents is expected to oversee the findings and will decide which criminal charges will be drafted.

The unnamed pilot may face charges of involuntary manslaughter, according to local media reports.

The boy’s parents were in a separate helicopter when the incident happened and were diverted away from the heliport to avoid witnessing the aftermath of the incident.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it was supporting the family and was “in contact with local authorities” while Fenton’s employer, London-based Ball Street Network, said its team was in shock over the “tragic news,” according to the BBC.