A BRITISH pilot has been killed after his plane crashed into a mountain during a flying competition.
Jon Gatfield, 68, had been racing through the skies when his plane suddenly plummeted down into woodlands in a tragic death spiral.
Jon Gatfield was an experienced pilot and ‘incredibly kind man’ according to the competition organisers Credit: Facebook/Jon Gatfield
The smashed plane of Jon Garfield on the mountainside Credit: Newsflash
The Brit pilot had been competing against 15 other pilots in the FAI Sailplane Grand Prix in northern on Monday.
Jon had been flying alone in his small glider plane when his plane mysteriously lost height and struck the slopes of Monte Grem.
Firefighters, mountain rescue crews and a helicopter reached the crash site within minutes of the disaster at around 3:30pm.
But Jon tragically could not be saved.
The reason for the mysterious malfunction is not yet clear.
The experienced pilot had just won the opening on Monday after speeding along the 127 mile route in just over two hours.
This second race had begun at 1pm and required flyers to complete a 155 mile course through mountain peaks.
One witness hiking on Monte Grem said: “I saw it fall and heard the crash.”
The Grand Prix organisers have suspended the competition following the tragedy.
“It is with profound sadness that the FAI Sailplane Grand Prix organisation announces the tragic loss of British pilot Jon Gatfield during the opening of the 13th series in Varese”, they said in a statement .
“Beyond his undeniable talent in the cockpit, Jon was universally recognized as a sensible, generous, and incredibly kind man”.
“Despite the rapid and coordinated response, we lost a deeply respected friend and a devoted pilot”, organisers added in a heart-breaking tribute.
Jon was a well-known figure in the international gliding community and had competed in many fixtures over the years.
Sailplane Grand Prix has declared May 26 an official day of mourning for the gliding community.
Carabinieri officers from Clusone are now investigating whether the crash was caused by a medical emergency, a technical problem or pilot error.
It comes as one paraglider almost died after a small plane ploughed into her parachute and ripped it to shreds.
shows the wing of the plane slice through the canopy and send the woman spiralling and screaming in the air as her torn chute flutters around her.
Sabrina, 44, was flying over the beautiful Schmittenhöhe mountain in when the freak collision occurred.
The small sightseeing plane only narrowly missed striking Sabrina when it smashed into her parachute mere feet over her head.
But in a heart-stopping save, Sabrina was able to untangle herself and deploy the new chute as she plunged towards earth.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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