Tributes have been paid to four Britons, including a radiotherapist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, who were among seven people killed in a helicopter crash in New Zealand on Saturday.
Andrew Virco, 50, and partner Katharine Walker, 51, from Cambridge, and Nigel and Cynthia Charlton, 66 and 70, from Hampshire, died when their aircraft crashed in a crevasse on the Fox Glacier on the South Island.
The helicopter came down at around 11am in weather conditions “not ideal for flying,” according to Grey district mayor Tony Kokshoorn, and was found wedged between walls of ice.
Ms Walker was the head of radiotherapy at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge and was on holiday with Mr Virco.
A spokesman for Cambridge University Hospitals, which runs Addenbrooke’s, said: “Everyone at the hospital is devastated by the news, and our thoughts go out to Kath’s family at this very sad time.
“She was a much respected member of staff who had worked at Addenbrooke’s for 23 years.”
The Charltons were also on holiday at the time of the crash and were planning to go to Burma after New Zealand.
The family of the retired grandparents-of-three said that they had been left “deeply saddened” by the death. In a statement issued through the Foreign Office, the family said: “They were very adventurous when it came to travel, and this holiday was to be their last big adventure together.”
Australian couple Sovannmony Leang, 27, and Josephine Gibson, 29, and pilot Mitchell Gameren, 28, were also killed.
The bodies were due to be recovered today but poor conditions have hampered efforts. Three bodies were recovered and taken to a temporary mortuary nearby for formal identification, which New Zealand police said could take days.
