Tributes paid to plane crash victims

From the archive, first published Wednesday 11th Apr 2007.

TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Mayor of Burnham who died along with his wife and daughter in a plane crash in Scotland.

John Smith, 56, his wife Angela and their 25 year-old daughter Jacqueline are believed to have taken off from Connell Airfield near Oban in a light aircraft on Monday.

The wreckage of their PA-28R turbo Cherokee Arrow was found on remote farmland near Argyll, Scotland, at 3.30pm yesterday.

The family were due to stop at Blackpool, before flying on to Andrewsfield airfield near Great Sailing.

Mr Smith who was Mayor of Burnham from 1993 to 1995 was also a town councillor and a district councillor.

Burnham Town Council clerk David McNeill said: "He was a highly intelligent and extremely quick man who had a great sense of humour.

"He loved and enjoyed life.

"It is a tragedy for the town, the village and the district.

"He was a true Burnham man who loved the town and loved his family.

"Angela was an absolutely lovely lady who didn't have a bad word to say about anyone, she was a true lady.

"I am just absolutely gutted."

John Whittingdale, Maldon and East Chelmsford MP, said: "I am very very shocked it is an absolute tragedy.

"John was a tremendously good supporter of the conservative party and he played a huge part in Maldon District Council.

"This is an incredible loss and my thoughts go out to his other children, it is an absolute tragedy."

Peter Elliott, Mayor of Burnham, said: "He was a very very respected local councillor and a very hard working man who will be tragically missed by his family, the town and the district."

Chief Inspector Ciorstan Shearer of Strathclyde Police said the site was being secured and causes for the crash were being established.

He said:"We know that the aircraft left Connell Airfield on Monday morning, but have yet to establish when the crash occurred. There is a time lapse between the plane taking off from the airfield and the wreckage being found.

"Because of the remoteness of the site and the difficulty of the terrain, specially trained officers from Strathclyde Police and RAF Mountain Rescue have been tasked to conduct a search of the crash site, which covers an area of some 400 metres.

"We are working closely with Air Accident Investigation and the Procurator Fiscal, and enquiries are at a very early stage."

A spokesman for the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said two investigators have been sent to the scene but it could take months before their findings are published.