Poke Guy
31st Jan 2002, 03:31
An expatriate who plunged to his death in mysterious circumstances this week was one of the 49 pilots sacked en masse by Cathay Pacific during the company's continuing industrial dispute. Junior first officer Gregory England had been with Cathay for just 2-1/2 years when his contract was terminated in July last year.
A white powder, suspected to be an illegal drug, was found in his third-floor flat in Kennedy Road, Wan Chai. There was no suicide note. His body was found at 8am on Tuesday on the roof of a nearby church.
Asked if the case was being treated as a suicide, a police spokesman said last night: "At this moment, the classification is still 'person fell from height'." It was believed that England was alone in the flat at the time of the fall.
A police source said that as well as the white substance, which is still being tested, prescription drugs for the treatment of stress were found in the flat.
Despite his sacking, England, a Canadian, was still working for the Aircrew Officers' Association and was also a first-division ice hockey player in Hong Kong.
An online memorial announcement about the death by fellow ice hockey player and sports organiser Tom Barnes said England had skated at practice the night before his body was found.
"I am very sad and my heart bleeds for his family and loved ones . . . I still can't believe that he will not be coming to play hockey with us any more," he said.
A woman who answered the telephone at England's flat yesterday said she did not want to talk about the tragedy.
Last night, England's Budweiser team held a moment's silence in his memory at Skyrink in Shamshuipo, and planned to permanently retire his playing number, seven.
The general secretary of the pilots' union, John Findlay, said members were shocked and saddened by the death. He said England had worked in their office almost daily.
After the sackings, the union offered members counselling and instituted a system to ensure sacked pilots did not feel alone. The union was in contact with England's family and was awaiting the outcome of the coroner's investigation, Mr Findlay said.
Another of the sacked pilots said England had fought hard against the company since he lost his job.
He said many of those sacked had found themselves on an emotional rollercoaster, with some days when "the anger overtakes you".
The sacked pilots are being financially supported by the union, whose members pay five per cent of their salaries in dues to cover the cost.
Cathay spokeswoman Lisa Wong Lai-shan said the union had told the company of the death. "We are very sad to hear that," she said. "We're also in contact with his family to see if we can help."
As word of the incident spread rapidly among the pilot community worldwide, pilots posted messages seeking further information in Internet chat rooms yesterday.
A white powder, suspected to be an illegal drug, was found in his third-floor flat in Kennedy Road, Wan Chai. There was no suicide note. His body was found at 8am on Tuesday on the roof of a nearby church.
Asked if the case was being treated as a suicide, a police spokesman said last night: "At this moment, the classification is still 'person fell from height'." It was believed that England was alone in the flat at the time of the fall.
A police source said that as well as the white substance, which is still being tested, prescription drugs for the treatment of stress were found in the flat.
Despite his sacking, England, a Canadian, was still working for the Aircrew Officers' Association and was also a first-division ice hockey player in Hong Kong.
An online memorial announcement about the death by fellow ice hockey player and sports organiser Tom Barnes said England had skated at practice the night before his body was found.
"I am very sad and my heart bleeds for his family and loved ones . . . I still can't believe that he will not be coming to play hockey with us any more," he said.
A woman who answered the telephone at England's flat yesterday said she did not want to talk about the tragedy.
Last night, England's Budweiser team held a moment's silence in his memory at Skyrink in Shamshuipo, and planned to permanently retire his playing number, seven.
The general secretary of the pilots' union, John Findlay, said members were shocked and saddened by the death. He said England had worked in their office almost daily.
After the sackings, the union offered members counselling and instituted a system to ensure sacked pilots did not feel alone. The union was in contact with England's family and was awaiting the outcome of the coroner's investigation, Mr Findlay said.
Another of the sacked pilots said England had fought hard against the company since he lost his job.
He said many of those sacked had found themselves on an emotional rollercoaster, with some days when "the anger overtakes you".
The sacked pilots are being financially supported by the union, whose members pay five per cent of their salaries in dues to cover the cost.
Cathay spokeswoman Lisa Wong Lai-shan said the union had told the company of the death. "We are very sad to hear that," she said. "We're also in contact with his family to see if we can help."
As word of the incident spread rapidly among the pilot community worldwide, pilots posted messages seeking further information in Internet chat rooms yesterday.