All smiles... before a fatal flight that took their lives
SMILING and looking forward to an adventure in the skies, this is the final photo of plane crash victims Niall ‘Billy’ Bowditch and seven-year-old Kacper Kacprzak.
The schoolboy was accompanying pilot Mr Bowditch on a flight in Co. Offaly that was taking a group that included Kacper’s father Kris up for a parachute jump.
However, minutes after the 16 skydivers had made their jump, the plane plunged into a bog, and Mr Bowditch and young Kacper lost their lives.
The photo was released as part of a GoFundMe campaign for the families of the pilot and Kacper, which had last night virtually reached its €30,000 target in less than 24 hours.
The fund was started by Irish Parachute Club member, Hassan Allaiouti, who wrote in the description: ‘We are heartbroken by the loss of two cherished members of our family at the club: little Kacper, son of our dear friend and fellow skydiver Kris; and Billy, a true gentlemen and a thoughtful and great pilot.’
Kacper’s father, Kris, was one of the parachutists who was taking part that day and Kacper was allowed to accompany his father as a weekend treat. Sources close to the Irish Parachute Club described the boy and his father as ‘best friends’.
After the plane went down in the bogland, Mr Kacprzak ran to the scene and dug with his bare hands in a desperate bid to save his son. Mr Bowditch, 47, from Britain, was a respected and experienced pilot as well as a keen skydiver. Members of his family were expected to arrive in Ireland yesterday afternoon.
The aircraft wreckage was removed from the scene on Sunday evening and was transported to the Air Accident Investigation Unit’s facility at the Gormanston Military Camp, where it is being examined.