Anthony Hall, the owner of Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport, has died alongside two other people after a light aircraft crashed into a mountain slope in the Swiss Alps.

The 42-year-old businessman was travelling on board a Cirrus SR22T when it came down high in the mountains near the resort town of Leukerbad, situated in the southern canton of Valais, on 15 September. The aircraft had departed from Sion airport in the Rhône Valley just 10 minutes before crashing.

Owain Davies, 55, from west Wales, also died in the incident, along with a third person who was on board the aircraft. Mr Davies was the managing director of Amcanu, an engineering firm based in Burry Port, Carmarthenshire. His family have spoken of their "unimaginable loss".

Alongside his ownership of the Staffordshire airfield, Mr Hall was the managing director of Pegasus, a construction and recycling business based near Stourbridge in the West Midlands.

Mr Hall's family have paid tribute to him, describing him as a "truly wonderful husband, devoted father and much-loved man". In a statement, they said: "Tony was an exceptional businessman who achieved great things in the construction/haulage industry, and his commitment to succeed and progress never faltered. He was first and foremost a loving husband and an incredible dad to his daughter, whose family meant everything to him. We will miss him immensely and will remember him as the kind, caring, generous, determined and fantastic character he was."

His family also expressed their gratitude for the support they have received following the incident, adding: "Our hearts go out to those who also lost their lives in this terrible tragedy."

Colleagues at Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport, which Mr Hall purchased in 2023, said he had a "clear vision" to turn the location into "the best general aviation airport in the country". In a tribute, the airport said he had poured his "time, energy and passion" into the site, working alongside his co-owner to transform it into a thriving aviation hub.

Former Stourbridge MP Suzanne Webb, who was a friend of Mr Hall, described him as a "legend" and praised his business achievements, his wit, and his community involvement. She noted that having previously served in the armed forces, he gave ongoing support to the local Poppy Appeal and the Military Vehicle Parade.

Emergency response teams, including the Valais Rescue Organisation, local police, and firefighters, were deployed to the crash site alongside three helicopters. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed it is providing support to the families of two British nationals who died and remains in contact with Swiss authorities.

What we do not know yet is what caused the Cirrus aircraft to crash so shortly after leaving Sion. The Swiss Transportation Safety Board has opened a formal investigation to determine the sequence of events leading up to the collision.

I will be following this investigation as the official findings are made public — check back for updates.