Surviving pilot free to go

A magistrate yesterday ordered the withdrawal of a provisional arrest warrant issued against the Irish pilot who survived Sunday's crash during the Aero GP show.

Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna, who is carrying out the inquiry into the crash in which Swedish pilot Gábor Varga died, withdrew the ruling since, to date, there was no need for Edward William Goggins to be held under arrest.

This does not necessarily mean that Mr Goggins has been cleared from any form of criminal responsibility since the inquiry is still underway.

On Tuesday The Times cited an official report that concluded that Mr Varga, 45, died of drowning even though he sustained a number of injuries from the crash.

The incident, witnessed by hundreds of spectators, happened when the tail of Mr Varga's red-and-blue Yak plane was clipped by Mr Goggins' red-and-white Extra 200 that was flying behind him.

Mr Varga's plane plunged nose first into the sea.

Mr Goggins managed to open his parachute before his plane crashed into the water at Marsamxett harbour.

A magisterial inquiry ensued and Magistrate Apap Bologna appointed several experts to help him.

On Monday, the magistrate issued a provisional arrest warrant ordering that Mr Goggins remain at his hotel. This order has now been revoked.