The British couple killed in a helicopter crash on the Greek island of Sifnos have been identified as Alex Cromie and his wife, Marie Ebert, turning what had been a holiday flight into a fatal accident that is now the subject of a Greek aviation investigation.
Cromie worked as a vice president in Blackstone’s private wealth business, according to professional records, while the couple were in Greece for their honeymoon. Blackstone confirmed his death in a statement, describing him as a colleague who was “beloved” by those who knew him.
The helicopter crashed on Monday evening as it approached its destination in the Tholos area of Sifnos. Three people were aboard and all died. The impact started a fire, with emergency crews recovering the bodies from the wreckage.
The accident happened close to the island’s landing area, near homes and the Panayia tis Vrysis monastery. Local accounts cited by Greek media said the aircraft came down only about 50 metres from residential buildings, meaning the crash could have produced a wider casualty toll had the aircraft struck the nearby homes.
Investigators examine the helicopter’s final moments
The cause of the crash has not been established.
Investigators are examining footage of the aircraft’s final moments as well as evidence from the wreckage. Witnesses reported hearing an unusual noise shortly before the helicopter went down, prompting early speculation about a mechanical problem. That remains a line of inquiry rather than an established finding.
The aircraft has been identified in reports as a Bell 206. It was flying towards Sifnos from the Athens area and was reportedly only minutes from its expected landing when the accident occurred. Other reports said the pilot had been preparing to land shortly before contact was lost.
The investigation is being coordinated by Greek authorities, with aviation investigators expected to reconstruct the aircraft’s flight path and examine its mechanical condition, operational history and the circumstances surrounding the final approach.
That distinction will matter in determining whether the crash resulted from an aircraft malfunction, pilot-related factors, operating conditions or another cause. At this stage, no single explanation has been established.
Who was Alex Cromie?
Cromie was a finance professional working for Blackstone, one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers.
A public professional profile identifies Cromie as a University of Sheffield graduate and places him within Blackstone’s private wealth operation. His work was focused on the firm’s private wealth business, which serves high-net-worth individuals and families.
The company responded to his death with a statement expressing shock and extending its condolences to the couple’s families.
The loss therefore extends beyond the immediate aviation tragedy into London’s financial sector, where Cromie’s professional network has been mourning a colleague whose career had taken him into one of the industry’s largest global investment firms.
Information publicly available about Ebert is more limited, and authorities have not released a detailed account of her background.
Sifnos and the growth of private island travel
The crash occurred on Sifnos, a Cycladic island roughly 195 kilometres southeast of Athens.
For visitors, the island is normally reached by sea, with ferry journeys taking considerably longer than direct air travel. Private helicopter services have increasingly offered tourists a faster way to move between Greece’s islands and mainland destinations, particularly during the busy summer season.
That convenience has also created a growing aviation environment around destinations that are far removed from Greece’s major airports.
Sifnos is part of a tourism economy increasingly built around high-end and time-sensitive travel. Helicopter operators have promoted flights connecting destinations in the Aegean, including Sifnos, as part of the broader expansion of private and scheduled helicopter transport in Greece.
The circumstances of Monday’s crash will therefore be watched not simply as an isolated accident but as investigators assess the safety of helicopter operations serving Greece’s heavily visited island network.
The pilot was also killed
The third person aboard the aircraft was the pilot, identified in Greek and international reports as Giorgos Raikos.
Reports described Raikos as an experienced former military aviator. His death means investigators must reconstruct the final phase of the flight largely from aircraft evidence, communications and available video rather than from a surviving crew member.
Witness accounts may help establish what happened immediately before the crash, but such accounts cannot by themselves determine whether an unusual sound was caused by an engine problem, rotor malfunction or another mechanical or operational issue.
That is why the recovery and examination of the helicopter will be central to the investigation.
Britain offers consular support
The deaths also triggered contact between British officials and Greek authorities as the identities of the victims became known. The UK Foreign Office has been involved in providing support to the families, according to reports.
For the families of Cromie and Ebert, the investigation now has a more immediate purpose: establishing how a journey that was close to its destination ended with three deaths.
The helicopter was approaching a landing site when it crashed. Until investigators determine what happened during those final moments, the reason it came down remains unresolved.
What is known is that Cromie and Ebert had travelled to Greece to begin their married life together. They died before reaching the island where their honeymoon was meant to continue.
