A British newlywed couple and their pilot were killed in a helicopter crash on the Greek island of Sifnos while the couple were traveling during their honeymoon.
The victims were identified as Alexander “Alex” Cromie, Marie Ebert, and 55-year-old pilot Giorgos Raikos, a former air force officer described as highly experienced.
Honeymoon Flight Ends in Tragedy
Cromie and Ebert had been traveling from Markopoulo, near Athens, toward Sifnos on Monday, August 17.
The helicopter was reportedly approaching the island shortly after 6 p.m. when the pilot contacted air traffic control to indicate that he was preparing to land. Communication then stopped.
Witnesses later described seeing the helicopter lose altitude and rotate before striking a field.
Emergency crews were sent to the crash site, but all three people aboard died.
Investigation Into the Crash
The circumstances surrounding the accident remain under investigation.
Witnesses reported hearing an unusual sound shortly before the helicopter went down. Weather conditions were reportedly not particularly severe at the time, but investigators will need to examine the aircraft, flight information, maintenance records, communications and other evidence before determining what caused the crash.
Although mechanical failure has been discussed as one possibility, no specific cause has been established.
The pilot’s previous military experience also does not by itself explain why the aircraft lost control during its approach.
Remembering the Newlyweds
The deaths were especially difficult for colleagues and friends in Britain, where both Cromie and Ebert had established professional careers.
Cromie worked for the investment firm Blackstone, where he was a vice president in private wealth solutions.
Ebert had joined Bain & Company in 2025 as a senior specialist in market reputation.
Their deaths have prompted expressions of grief from their professional communities, adding another dimension to a tragedy that occurred thousands of miles from home.
A Honeymoon Cut Tragically Short
For the newlyweds, the trip was supposed to mark the beginning of their life together.
They were reportedly only minutes from completing their journey to Sifnos when the flight ended in disaster.
Instead of arriving at their destination and continuing their honeymoon, Cromie and Ebert’s families were left mourning a newly married couple whose lives were suddenly cut short.
The investigation may eventually provide answers about what happened during those final moments. But for their families, friends and colleagues, the technical explanation will never change the most painful reality: a celebration of a new marriage became an unexpected tragedy.