Co-owner of Cyprus Airways dies in plane crash

The Russian co-owner of Siberia Airlines which owns Cypriot Charlie Airlines has died in a plane accident in Germany, while the circumstances of the crash remain unclear.

According to foreign news agencies, S7 Group shareholder Natalia Valerievna Fileva was killed in an air crash south of Frankfurt, after her private flight on an Epic-LT private plane was due to land at Egelsbach Airport, killing two others reportedly Russian nationals.

The 55-year-old, one of the richest women in Russia with a wealth estimated by Forbes.ru at $600 million, was a major shareholder and chairwoman of S7, which established Charlie Airlines in Larnaca back in 2016. Charlie Airlines had also acquired the right to fly under the defunct Cypriot national carrier Cyprus Airways, on a codeshare agreement with Siberia Airlines.

Media reports said the private six-seater plane was en route from Cannes when it came down on Sunday after disappearing from radar just before 3:30pm according to flight tracker Flighradar24.

Some unconfirmed reports said one of the people killed in the crash was Fileva’s father, but officials said it was too early to identify victims as bodies and wreckage were burnt beyond recognition by the time first respondents could arrive. Officials speculated on the nationality of the victims, saying it was most likely Russian for all three souls on board.

Road accident linked to plane crash

The air crash was also linked to two other deaths in Germany, with two people killed and three others seriously injured when a police vehicle was responding to the plane crash.

The circumstances of the road accident were not clear, while reports said the service vehicle had its flashing lights and sirens when it was struck head-on by another vehicle a few kilometres from the crash site.

A statement from S7 Group extended condolences to Fileva’s family.

“The memory of her as an inspiring and sympathetic leader and a wonderful person will forever stay in the hearts of all S7 Group employees. It is an irreparable loss,” the statement said.