British man Jack Fenton dies in helicopter accident in Greece

Young man died in an accident on his way back to Athens from a trip to Mykonos

Jack Fenton was struck by a rotor blade as he left the helicopter. Facebook

A British man died in a helicopter accident in Athens, Greece, on Monday.

Jack Fenton was killed when he was struck by the copter’s rear rotor blade after leaving the aircraft.

Fenton, 22, was returning with three friends from Mykonos to Spata, near Athens International Airport, on a Bell 407 helicopter.

His friends, Jack Stanton-Gleaves, 20, Max Savage, 20, and James Yeabsley, 19, were described as “traumatised” by a family source and had been due to fly home on Tuesday night.

Mr Stanton-Gleaves spoke to The Telegraph to set the record straight about his friend’s death.

“No instructions were given when exiting the helicopter and no-one escorted us to the lounge. All they did was open the doors for us,” he told The Telegraph.

“We disembarked on our own and no one stopped Jack from going to the rear of the helicopter. None of us reached the lounge before the accident happened.

“I’ve heard people say Jack was on his phone and ran back to the helicopter and this is totally untrue. He was not on his phone and why he turned towards the rear of the helicopter I don’t know.”

His father, Robin Stanton-Gleaves, who is the owner and chairman of National League football club Bromley FC, was on Tuesday at his son’s side in Greece.

There was still “a lot more that needs to be corrected” regarding the Greek accounts of Fenton’s death, Stanton-Gleaves Sr told The Telegraph.

The helicopter’s pilot and two other people were arrested on Tuesday over the incident, according to state media. They were later released.

“We only found out what happened at 10pm last night," Fenton's mother, Victoria, told MailOnline. "We are completely devastated. He was the most wonderful boy.

“I think the pilot is in custody but it was the most horrible of accidents by the looks of it.”

Fenton, who studied at Oxford Brookes University, was described as “very popular” by the head teacher of his former school in Maidstone, Kent.

“Our school was very sad to hear the tragic news about Jack this morning," said James Thomas, headmaster of Sutton Valence School.

“He was a very popular member of the community and we have sent our condolences to the family.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the incident.”

A representative of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Greece and are in contact with the local authorities."

Fenton’s employer, social media agency Ball Street Network in London, told the BBC: “Our team is in shock having just found out about this tragic news.

“Our love and thoughts are with Jack’s family and friends.”