This archive report was first published on 14 August 2019.
On January 21, 2019, footballer Emiliano Sala's plane crashed in the English Channel during a night-time flight from France to Wales, where he was to join Premier League club Cardiff.
According to a special bulletin from Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), toxicology tests revealed that Sala had a high saturation level of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), a combination product of carbon monoxide and haemoglobin, which is considered potentially fatal.
The AAIB stated that Sala's COHb level was 58 percent, and that a level of 50 percent or above in an otherwise healthy individual is generally considered to be potentially fatal.
The investigation also found that the pilot, David Ibbotson, would have likely been exposed to carbon monoxide as well.
The AAIB pointed out that carbon monoxide poisoning was a particular risk in the type of aircraft they were travelling in, as piston engine aircraft produce high concentrations of CO that can enter the cabin through poor sealing or leaks in the heating and ventilation system.
The Sala family has called on the AAIB to salvage the wreckage of the plane without further delay, and to investigate how the carbon monoxide was able to enter the cabin.
Cardiff City said it was 'concerned' at the report's findings, which once again highlights that the aircraft used for Emiliano Sala was not appropriate.
