Michael Blair seriously injured, son killed in plane crash

Former Reuters journalist and business manager Michael Blair (photo) is recovering from multiple injuries sustained when the light aircraft he was flying crashed in British Columbia, Canada. His son Jonathan was killed.

He was in critical condition when he was taken by helicopter to hospital after the 16 June incident but is now recuperating at home in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Blair, 74, and Jonathan, a 42-year-old teacher, were the only two people on board the plane. 

An experienced pilot with many decades of flying experience, Blair was attempting to land the Piper Cherokee Arrow on a privately-owned grass landing strip.

He joined Reuters as a sub-editor on the North American Desk in London in 1966 and left in 1985 as manager, Northern Region, Latin America and the Caribbean. He later established an Africa-wide telecommunications business based in Ghana which he sold in 2007.

Jonathan’s funeral will take place in his home town of Edmonton, Alberta on 19 July. ■