Two years later, still no answers
The family of Emiliano Sala and Cardiff City’s chairman are still calling for an inquest into the player’s death, two years after he lost his life in a plane crash over the English channel.
The Argentinian player was killed when a small aircraft transporting him from Nantes to Cardiff crashed into the sea, taking the lives of both Sala and the pilot, David Ibbotson, who was ‘not qualified to fly at night.’
An inquest into the Sala’s death was adjourned in October after David Henderson, one of those accused of arranging the fatal flight, pleaded not guilty to two charges relating to the aircraft that was used to transport the player from France to the UK.
Cardiff’s chairman Mehmet Dalman called for “justice” on Wednesday night as the Welsh club marked the two year anniversary since the player’s death. Dalman is also quoted in a new edition of the book ‘The Killing of Emiliano Sala’, saying: “I hope the police get to the bottom of this because Emiliano Sala deserves justice.”
The Sala family lawyer, Daniel Machover of Hickman & Rose solicitors, said: “It is a tragedy that two years have passed since Emiliano’s death and we still do not know exactly how and why he died. An inquest is the only way to establish the full truth.
“I very much hope that the Dorset Coroner will now set a date for the inquest to start immediately after David Henderson’s trial, so that Emiliano’s family do not have to endure another bleak anniversary with no answers.”
Henderson’s trial is set to begin on October 18th 2021.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport are yet to make a judgement on an ongoing dispute between Cardiff and Nantes over FIFA’s decision to order Cardiff to pay the first instalment of the transfer fee agreed for Sala’s transfer. Cardiff appealed FIFA’s decision, suspecting foul play in the events that led to his death.
