Emiliano Sala's family to sue over Doncaster pilot's deadly plane crash

According to the Daily Mirror, the heartbroken family of the star are suing Cardiff City – the club Sala was set to join – and FC Nantes, the club he had just quit, among 13 defendants.

Sala, 28, had just signed for Cardiff when a light aircraft – piloted by Crowle man David Ibbotson – plunged into the English Channel on the night of January 21, 2019.

The body of Sala was recovered after a search, but Mr Ibbotson, 59, has never been found.

A civil action lodged in London by his mother, sister and brother has been put before the High Court and also lists the plane’s owners.

Solicitor Daniel Machover said the case was to protect the family’s right to sue after the inquest, which is due to be held in Bournemouth this week.

Mr Machover said: “The family know the inquest will provide the answers to the very many questions they have about what went wrong in January 2019 and why Emiliano’s life was cut short.”

Investigators found Ibbotson’s pilot’s licence had expired and he had received no night-flying training.

The first defendant in the family’s action is David Henderson who allegedly arranged the flight from Nantes to Cardiff in the Piper Malibu plane.

He faces trial in Cardiff later this year accused of endangering the safety of an aircraft.

The company that allegedly owned the plane, Cool Flourish Ltd, and its majority shareholder Fay Keely, are also defendants, as is Southern Aircraft Consultancy Inc and Ltd, a Suffolk-based trustee firm used to register the plane in the US.

Father and son agents Willie and Mark McKay and their company, who were acting as brokers on behalf of FC Nantes, are also defendants.

Sala's player agent was Meissa N'Diaye who is not a defendant.

The makers of the plane Piper Aircraft are also named, as are Eastern Air Executive, an air taxi firm, and Aerotech Aircraft Maintenance Ltd.

Cardiff City and FC Nantes are the final defendants.