Campaigner Claire Lomas died in Jordan following a microlight crash while filming for an Apple series, an inquest has been told. The adapted microlight Lomas was flying crashed into a large rock.
The inquest heard that a camera was mounted to the microlight, and tests had been carried out with Lomas and another individual, Zilinskaite, flying the aircraft with the camera. Zilinskaite told the court that Lomas appeared "very happy" and seemed to have "no concerns" prior to the incident.
Lomas flew to Jordan on July 10, 2024. The filming challenge was initially planned for July 14 but was postponed due to high winds. On July 15, Zilinskaite and another individual, Ashman, were at the filming location around 4 a.m. and discussed the favorable wind conditions. However, Ashman had expressed concern about a Facebook post from Lomas the previous night, leading to a conversation with her at their hotel about whether she wished to proceed with the challenge. Zilinskaite stated that Lomas was "enthusiastic" and "absolutely sure she wanted to fly."
The flight lasted approximately 15 minutes. Ashman landed and cleared the runway before Lomas began her approach. Zilinskaite attempted to record Lomas's landing on her phone but did not press record as Lomas's approach was not entirely straight. Zilinskaite's view was obstructed, and she did not witness the crash itself. Lomas was transported by ambulance to Petra, then by air ambulance to Amman.
Lomas was reportedly "excited" to return home to her family after weeks in the hospital. However, she later contracted an infection and her condition deteriorated, the inquest heard. The coroner noted that Lomas's relatives had expressed concerns regarding the care she received at the hospital in Jordan, but stated that investigating this was outside the scope of her jurisdiction.