Afternoon:
15°c
11-year-old schoolboy among five Britons on doomed jet
Martin Bentham and Kiran Randhawa02.06.09
Details emerged today of five Britons, including an 11-year-old boy, who were feared to be among the victims of the Air France disaster.
As a search for bodies and wreckage continued, relatives told of their fears for passengers on board the Airbus A330-200 which is thought to have crashed into the Atlantic, killing all 228 aboard.
Bristol schoolboy Alexander Bjoroy, a woman from Wales, Scottish engineer Graham Gardner, 61-year-old Arthur Coakley from North Yorkshire and Neil Warrior, 47, a PR executive with Mazda, were believed to have been on the doomed flight.
Alexander, a boarder at Clifton College Preparatory School, had been visiting his parents Jane and Robin in Brazil for the school half-term.
His grandparents, Joyce and William Dougill, today told the Evening Standard that they were “sick with worry” but would not give up hope until their grandson's body was found.
The plane is believed to have gone down in a feared climatic zone known as the “black cauldron”, where hail stones can be bigger than tennis balls and winds as fierce as 120mph.
The pilot warned controllers that his Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris was approaching stormy weather in the turbulent area along the equator.
At the time, the communication appeared routine, but within 15 minutes the aircraft had disappeared.
A Spanish newlywed returning from her honeymoon, the former head of a Rio orchestra and three Irish medical graduates, one of whom had performed on Broadway in Riverdance, were also on board the flight, which carried citizens of 33 countries.
Schoolboy Alexander was born in Australia and lived abroad for much of his life as his father owns an oil company and has worked all over the world. The family moved to Brazil in January. His grandmother Mrs Dougill added from her home in Penarth, South Wales: “We are hoping and praying for a miracle to happen. We are not going to give up hope until we know what has happened to him.”
John Milne, headmaster at Clifton College, said Alexander was “a well-liked and respected boarder who will be sorely missed by his fellow pupils and staff”.
In the North Yorkshire seaside town of Whitby, Mr Coakley's wife Patricia broke down in tears. She said: “He was fabulous, he really was. You can ask anybody about Art, they will all tell you he was great'. We met and married within three months. We have been married 34 years.” She added: “He's not going to come back. Yesterday I was really optimistic, today maybe more realistic. I would love him to come back.” Mr Coakley was a structural engineer working for an Aberdeen-based oil company, and was helping with a survey in Brazil.
Mr Warrior, a Londoner who had lived in Cologne for the past decade, was returning from a holiday and was today described by his colleague Graham Fudge as a “humorous chap who enjoyed life to the full”. Mr Fudge added: “It's very sad news.” Mr
Gardner, 52, from Gourock, Renfrewshire, worked in the oil industry and travelled regularly to and from Brazil for his job.
His wife Joyce, 51, who first met her husband during their childhood, said: “He's such a loving, caring and laid-back man. Nothing fazed him. I'm sure I can speak for everyone that knew him in saying that he will be missed, dearly.
“Graham was on a month-on, month-off contract so the time we had together was precious. He loved to walk, read science fiction novels and tend to his pride and joy ... his tropical fish.” Three Irish doctors, Aisling
Butler from Roscrea, Co Tipperary, Jane Deasy from Dublin and Eithne Walls from Ballygowan, Co Down, all aged between 26 and 29 were also among the passengers. Dr Butler's father John said: “We know Aisling is gone, we are sure of that. I have to live for my wife and my only other daughter Lorna.”
Dr Walls was a dancer with Riverdance and performed on Broadway before starting her medical studies.
One of the Brazilians on board was Pedro Luis de Orleans e Braganza, a direct descendant of Dom Pedro II, the last emperor of Brazil.
Reader views (15)
'Croyboy'. Hmmmm... Name says it all really doesn't it. Obviously incapable of understanding that human beings are actually capable of feeling compassion for their fellow man. If he had the brain cells to think about it he might realise that the capacity for feeling empathy is part of what makes human. His idea that people are saying 'look at me' tells us much more about himself than about other people.
- Cal, uppingham uk
I find it interesting that most of the posts here have absolutely nothing to say to either add to the information available or to contribute perceptive comments; rather they're all about trotting out haloes to be polished, in effect saying "Look at me: aren't I compassionate!"
Get real: your "praying" and "sympathy" and thanking "God for His many blessings and mercy" are mere empty words from strangers wallowing in cheap, feel-good, mumbo-jumbo.
- Croyboy, Croydon
G. Jones -- honestly, stuff it. This isn't the time to go off on your obviously pre-existing hostility to faith.
This was the tragic crash of a man-made machine.
How about helping out instead, and keeping the families in prayer?
- Ela, Fairbanks, Alaska, US
There are grieving families behind everyone of those missing passengers. It is so very sad and my sympathies go out to everyone of them.
- Madore, Vancouver, Canada
G. Jones, I want you to know that God is not responsible for this disaster. Man and his sin are responsible for death and disaster in the world. God created man with freedom of choice to enjoy life with Him forever, but man chose to disobey and thus unleashed death, sickness and all other forms of evil on this world. The devil is the one responsible for killing and destruction, and if you alllow him he will get you sooner or later. God offers us salvation and hope for eternal life with Him and you can have it by putting your trust in Jesus Christ His Son. True religeon means love for God and for our fellow-men, and that is what God expects from us. If you put your trust in Jesus today, He will accept you with open arms and get you ready for the joy and peace that He alone can give. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Do it while you still have some time. You will never regret that move, cut will enjoy it throughout eternity.
Peace and Love
- Andrew Sealy, Gros Islet, St. Lucia, W.I.
Heartfelt sympathy , strength and courage to everyone connected to the missing
people on the Air France airbus.
God bless you all.
- Radz, Expat!, Copenhagen , Denmark.
God wasn't flying the plane. Disasters can happen. Anyone of us can go at any time. There is no contract to say that everyone will live to 100
- Anikar, Londn
How unfortunate for the poor passngers and their families. My deepest sytmathies go out to you. Any other day the French would have been on strike & this disaster would have been avoided
- Nc, UK
What sort of God allows this sort of random slaughter. Wake up - religion is just crowd control.
- G Jones, Banbury UK
I am from Penarth...God bless the souls of Alexander Bjoroy and all those others who have perished.
- Jason Stone, Stratford, Newham
It just gets worse as the hours pass. Such a greater tragedy. Deepest sympathy to the families of the crew and passengers on this ill-fated flight.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, The Netherlands
Air France needs to explain why the flight did not detour around these storms. Also possible links with recent A330 incidents involving loss of control and autopilot dropouts need to be ruled out.
- Jh, London
I am praying for all those who have lost their loved ones, having flown that way myself before. May the God of all comfort comfort you in your grief and loss. Much love to you all.
- Marcia, London
It is a tragic loss of life, regardless of age.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
I am so truly sorry for the families that are going through this tragedy. It makes you thank God for His many blessings and mercy. It will take time, but things will be ok. God Bless.
- Vankesha Isaac, St.Croix V.I,
