A British newlywed couple has died in a helicopter crash while on their honeymoon in Greece. Alexander Cromie and Marie Ebert, both in their early 30s, were traveling in a private air taxi when the aircraft reportedly experienced a mechanical failure and crashed near a heliport on the island of Sifnos. The pilot, 55-year-old Greek national Giorgos Raikos, also perished in the incident.

The Bell 206 helicopter was en route from Markopoulo, near Athens, to Sifnos when it crashed around 6 p.m. local time on Monday. CCTV footage captured the aircraft rotating erratically before rapidly losing altitude and descending to the ground. The impact resulted in the helicopter being engulfed in a fireball, with smoke billowing from the wreckage.

Residents near the heliport reported hearing an unusual noise from the helicopter before the crash. The National Organisation for the Investigation of Air and Railway Accidents and Transport Safety has launched an investigation into the incident, according to the Greek Ministry of Transport.

Alexander Cromie was the vice president of private wealth solutions at Blackstone's London office. The company issued a statement expressing shock at the loss of their colleague and his wife. "Alex was beloved by everyone who knew and worked with him at Blackstone, and our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones," the statement read.

The pilot, identified as a retired Greek Air Force officer, was reported to have extensive flying experience. Local reports suggest he had been hired by the company only two months prior.

Emergency services arrived at the scene but were unable to save any of the occupants. Manolis Fountoulakis, deputy mayor of Sifnos, described the scene as a "shapeless mass" where the "two charred bodies must have been." He added that residents reported the helicopter made a "loud, strange noise, like military aircraft."

The Foreign Office confirmed it is in contact with local authorities and is providing consular support. No homes were impacted by the crash, and no other casualties were reported.

Sifnos is a popular tourist destination in the Cyclades island group. The incident follows another fatal helicopter crash in Greece earlier this month, which occurred while fighting wildfires and resulted in the deaths of a Greek fire service liaison officer and a Danish pilot.