Jet2 flight man dies: Heartbreaking tribute paid to dad, 40, who died moments after plane made emergency landing
The family of a man who died on a Jet2 flight from Bulgaria to Liverpool have paid a heartbreaking tribute.
Chris Neill, 40, fell ill on the Jet2 flight from Burgas in Bulgaria to Liverpool's John Lennon Airport last Monday (16 September). It was diverted to Cologne in Germany but he died shortly after it landed.
It has now been revealed that Chris was travelling back from holiday with his children when he suffered the medical episode. While on the flight, he was taken to the front of the plane with an oxygen mask before it landed. After landing, Chris walked off the plane and down the steps onto the runway, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Before he reached the concrete, the dad-of-two from Runcorn collapsed after what is believed to have been a severe heart attack. By the time he was taken into the ambulance which was waiting for him, he had tragically died.
Chris's dad, Mal Neill, flew out to Germany the following day to collect his grandchildren, Reece, 19 and Archie, eight, after the incident before sending them back to the UK while he dealt with the coroner. Mal has now spoken out about the tragedy and paid a moving tribute to his son, an Everton fan and fitness fanatic.
The family are now fundraising as they estimate it would cost as much as £15,000 to pay for coroner bills in Germany, the repatriation and for his funeral in England. Mal told Manchester Evening News: "On the flight back he felt ill and they didn't know what was wrong. They landed in Germany on their way back and as he was helped down the stairs he collapsed. He was dead when they got him in the ambulance.
"His eldest son rang Chris's mum to tell her what happened and I flew out as soon as possible. I can't praise Jet2 enough for how they dealt with it all. The kids were taken off the flight and Jet2 put them up in a hotel and tried to find them a flight home the next day.”
He added: "He was a staunch Everton fan and brought his children up as Everton fans. He lived life to the full and he was bubbly.
"He was 6ft 4in and went to the gym every day, he was massive. He lived for his children and when I was going through photos for the GoFundMe there are so many of him and his sons. He was full of fun, bubbly, he would do anything for anybody. I know people say that when someone dies but he would have. He was really liked by everyone."