Emiliano Sala: Inquest could involve football agent McKay

Emiliano Sala's inquest is set to begin on 14 February 2022

A football agent is being considered as an "interested person" at the inquest into footballer Emiliano Sala's death.

Willie McKay, who commissioned the flight which crashed in 2019 killing Sala and pilot David Ibbotson, could be included in the proceedings, according to senior coroner, Rachael Griffin.

She said she had written to Mr McKay about this in late 2020 but he had not replied.

The full jury inquest is to expected to take place in mid February.

Willie McKay, 62, is being considered an "interested person" by the coroner

"We will be writing to him again after today's hearing," she said.

An interested person is entitled to actively participate in an inquest, whether by virtue of their relationship to the deceased, their involvement in the circumstances of the death, or at the coroner's discretion.

Discussing the scope of the inquest, Ms Griffin said it would focus on "who, when, where and how," including the cause of Emiliano's death, the arrangements for the flight and its operation.

The inquest will also consider pilot David Ibbotson's qualifications, the flight itself, and the search and recovery of Mr Sala's body, as well as the condition and maintenance of the aircraft and the design of its exhaust system.

The pre-inquest hearing was also told David Henderson who arranged the flight had "no further evidence" to give to an inquest into his death.

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'No further evidence to give'

Emiliano Sala, 28, died in January 2019, when the plane carrying him from Nantes in France to Cardiff crashed into the English Channel.

His body was recovered the following month, but pilot David Ibbotson's body has never been found.

At the hearing on Monday, the senior coroner for Dorset Rachael Griffin said solicitors for Mr Henderson had written to her stating that he had "no further evidence to give to the coroner beyond the evidence he gave in his criminal trial".

The letter also stated that during his trial Mr Henderson was in the witness box for a day and "sincerely believes there is nothing more he can add".

His solicitor's letter concluded "it was accepted that the way the flight was organised didn't cause the plane to crash".

Ms Griffin said: "In effect they say that the attendance of Mr Henderson is unnecessary at the inquest hearing."

Earlier this month Henderson was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court after being convicted of recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft.

He previously admitted a separate charge of arranging a commercial flight without permission or authorisation.

Henderson, 67, of Hotham, East Riding, Yorkshire, is appealing his sentence.

Ms Griffin said she was "hopeful" the full jury inquest could begin in mid-February 2022 as scheduled, but that a further pre-inquest review hearing would be held in January.