Sala’s pilot was being chased by courts over £27,000 debts

THE pilot who died along with footballer Emiliano Sala was more than £27,000 in debt and facing court orders to repay mounting bills.

David Ibbotson, 59, was handed a fifth order to pay a £4,413 debt just over a week before their plane crashed into the English Channel on January 21.

The revelation raises further questions over his decision to take the flight with Sala, pictured, and also on what basis he was hired. It previously emerged he dropped out of commercial pilot training. The latest ruling, made at Grimsby Combined Court on January 11, does not name the firm or person owed the money.

Mr Ibbotson also faced repayment orders on £23,000 of debts according to other county court judgments made against him in Northampton. The companies owed money include Barclaycard, Bank of Scotland, phone firm Orange and Yorkshire Water.

The heating and plumbing engineer, who flew as a private pilot, is believed to have lost control of the Piper Malibu PA-46 as he flew the 28-year-old Argentine from France to Wales as part of his £15million move from Nantes to Cardiff City. Sala’s body was recovered from the wreckage near Guernsey but Mr Ibbotson’s body has not been found.