Cumbria helicopter crash: tributes and condolences
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Cumbria helicopter crash: tributes and condolences
BBC News - Pilot killed in Cumbria helicopter crash
The owner of a Cumbria tourist attraction has died in a helicopter crash.
The family of Mark Weir, 45, who ran Honister Slate Mine in Borrowdale, near Keswick, raised concerns on Tuesday night when he failed to return home.
Police and mountain rescue teams found a helicopter crashed near the mine early on Wednesday.
His family said they were "totally devastated" by their loss and tourism leaders paid tribute to Mr Weir.
Father-of-three Mr Weir had left the slate mine in his helicopter but when he failed to return to his home in Cockermouth the alarm was raised by his wife.
Cockermouth and Keswick Mountain Rescue Teams were involved in the search along with Cumbria Police.
Mr Weir was found dead in the helicopter at the scene.
The crashed helicopter was found near the mine
'Spirited dynamism' Visitors to Honister can take guided tours into the mine, where slate is still extracted.
A Honister spokesman said: "Mark was a charismatic Lake District legend with a lust for life and a giant personality.
"He was passionate about everything he did from fatherhood to flying and business.
"He loved questioning authority but won many doubters over through sheer force of his personality."
He said he loved flying and was a fully-trained pilot with decades of experience.
"He is irreplaceable both as a man, a son, a father, a partner, a businessman, a boss and a human being," he said.
Cumbria Tourism chairman Eric Robson said Mr Weir would be enormously missed.
He said: "Mark brought such a spirited dynamism to the debate about creating a thriving tourism economy in the Lakes.
"He genuinely loved Honister and the community of Borrowdale. He was rooted there and wanted to do the best for them."
An investigation is under way into the cause of the crash.
The family of Mark Weir, 45, who ran Honister Slate Mine in Borrowdale, near Keswick, raised concerns on Tuesday night when he failed to return home.
Police and mountain rescue teams found a helicopter crashed near the mine early on Wednesday.
His family said they were "totally devastated" by their loss and tourism leaders paid tribute to Mr Weir.
Father-of-three Mr Weir had left the slate mine in his helicopter but when he failed to return to his home in Cockermouth the alarm was raised by his wife.
Cockermouth and Keswick Mountain Rescue Teams were involved in the search along with Cumbria Police.
Mr Weir was found dead in the helicopter at the scene.
The crashed helicopter was found near the mine
'Spirited dynamism' Visitors to Honister can take guided tours into the mine, where slate is still extracted.
A Honister spokesman said: "Mark was a charismatic Lake District legend with a lust for life and a giant personality.
"He was passionate about everything he did from fatherhood to flying and business.
"He loved questioning authority but won many doubters over through sheer force of his personality."
He said he loved flying and was a fully-trained pilot with decades of experience.
"He is irreplaceable both as a man, a son, a father, a partner, a businessman, a boss and a human being," he said.
Cumbria Tourism chairman Eric Robson said Mr Weir would be enormously missed.
He said: "Mark brought such a spirited dynamism to the debate about creating a thriving tourism economy in the Lakes.
"He genuinely loved Honister and the community of Borrowdale. He was rooted there and wanted to do the best for them."
An investigation is under way into the cause of the crash.
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Statement
Statement from Honister Slate Mine
The family and staff of Honister Slate Mine have today requested the following tribute be circulated to the media.
Just after 7pm last night (Tuesday March 8th) Mark left the slate mine in his helicopter following a day’s work at his mining and tourism business at the top of Honister Pass near Keswick, Borrowdale, Cumbria.
When he failed to return to his home near Cockermouth, his wife and the mother of his three children alerted the emergency services.
A search of the area by the authorities located his stricken helicopter from which his body was recovered.
At this time, the precise circumstances and causes of the accident are unknown. A full investigation is under way.
Mark was 45. Mark's family and staff at Honister Slate Mine are “totally devastated,” and bereft by their loss.
The family and staff of Honister Slate Mine have today requested the following tribute be circulated to the media.
Just after 7pm last night (Tuesday March 8th) Mark left the slate mine in his helicopter following a day’s work at his mining and tourism business at the top of Honister Pass near Keswick, Borrowdale, Cumbria.
When he failed to return to his home near Cockermouth, his wife and the mother of his three children alerted the emergency services.
A search of the area by the authorities located his stricken helicopter from which his body was recovered.
At this time, the precise circumstances and causes of the accident are unknown. A full investigation is under way.
Mark was 45. Mark's family and staff at Honister Slate Mine are “totally devastated,” and bereft by their loss.
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The family and staff fully respect the right of the media to ascertain more information but respectful request that they do not directly approach or contact the family as they attempt to cope with this profound and tragic loss.
A spokesman for Honister said: “Mark was a charismatic Lake District legend with a lust for life and a giant personality. He was passionate about everything he did from fatherhood to flying and business. He loved questioning authority but won many doubters over through sheer force of his personality. He was that rare mix of shrewd businessman and creative entrepreneur – just as comfortable in the company of Royalty and celebrity, as he was driving diggers with slate miners or making tea with the tourists who flocked to the mine. Mark loved Honister and Mark was Honister. He loved flying, he loved life in the Lake District. He was a fully-trained pilot with decades of experience and would never take a risk. He is irreplaceable both as a man, a son, a father, a partner, a businessman, a boss and a human being.”
Eric Robson, Chairman of Cumbria Tourism, paid tribute on behalf of the Lake District tourism industry. He said: “Mark brought such a spirited dynamism to the debate about creating a thriving tourism economy to the Lakes. He genuinely loved Honister and the community of Borrowdale, he was rooted there and wanted to do the best for them.
“You also have to give him credit for how he pushed projects through when everybody was saying you can’t do that or you’ll never get away with it. He did, and he brought a tremendous amount of joy to people who enjoyed them. He will be enormously missed.”
A spokesman for Honister said: “Mark was a charismatic Lake District legend with a lust for life and a giant personality. He was passionate about everything he did from fatherhood to flying and business. He loved questioning authority but won many doubters over through sheer force of his personality. He was that rare mix of shrewd businessman and creative entrepreneur – just as comfortable in the company of Royalty and celebrity, as he was driving diggers with slate miners or making tea with the tourists who flocked to the mine. Mark loved Honister and Mark was Honister. He loved flying, he loved life in the Lake District. He was a fully-trained pilot with decades of experience and would never take a risk. He is irreplaceable both as a man, a son, a father, a partner, a businessman, a boss and a human being.”
Eric Robson, Chairman of Cumbria Tourism, paid tribute on behalf of the Lake District tourism industry. He said: “Mark brought such a spirited dynamism to the debate about creating a thriving tourism economy to the Lakes. He genuinely loved Honister and the community of Borrowdale, he was rooted there and wanted to do the best for them.
“You also have to give him credit for how he pushed projects through when everybody was saying you can’t do that or you’ll never get away with it. He did, and he brought a tremendous amount of joy to people who enjoyed them. He will be enormously missed.”
RIP
Very Very Sad, News.
Mark was an inspiration to life.
Great Guy, never a dull moment with him around.
At least the angels will have someone to give them a laugh.
My heart goes out to the family and friends, God bless.
R.I.P Mark
Keepitup.
Last edited by Keepitup; 9th Mar 2011 at 13:51.
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yet more tragic news. conditions up here were appalling last night, windy wet and haily. don't know about vis but cant have been good. an informative thread been running all morning with some heart felt tributes but it appears to have vanished... any news mods???
The other thread was deleted by the Original Poster, md 600 driver.
SP
The other thread was deleted by the Original Poster, md 600 driver.
SP
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Total shock. Mark on occasions spoke to me at Scottish Information. A few years back he invited myself and my Wife to visit his mine. He was the most charming and friendly person I have ever met....an ace guy that will be immpossible to replace.....only a few days ago we spoke as he flew out from his mine on a short tour around the area.
I am in total shock and feel so sorry for his family and friends.
RIP Mark you will be missed by us all at Scottish Information.
I am in total shock and feel so sorry for his family and friends.
RIP Mark you will be missed by us all at Scottish Information.
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RIP Mark.
I still can’t come to terms with this shocking and upsetting news about a guy who was so well liked and did a lot for this area.
I have met Mark on several occasions at Carlisle when he came into the airport in his helicopter to uplift fuel. He often used to call us on the radio when inbound to the Carlisle Rugby club or various other private sites around the area.
My thoughts are with his family and the slate mine colleagues during these very difficult times.
Steve
Carlisle Airport
I still can’t come to terms with this shocking and upsetting news about a guy who was so well liked and did a lot for this area.
I have met Mark on several occasions at Carlisle when he came into the airport in his helicopter to uplift fuel. He often used to call us on the radio when inbound to the Carlisle Rugby club or various other private sites around the area.
My thoughts are with his family and the slate mine colleagues during these very difficult times.
Steve
Carlisle Airport
Last edited by Steve90; 9th Mar 2011 at 15:29.
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Anyone know the aircraft type?
A Gazelle
A Gazelle
The area has lost a nice guy in this accident
.
As posted this morning:
Honister Slate Mine owner Mark Weir pilots his Hungarian registered SA341G Gazelle into the 'Summer Madness' fly in at Breighton on 22nd August 2010
RIP
S
As posted this morning:
Honister Slate Mine owner Mark Weir pilots his Hungarian registered SA341G Gazelle into the 'Summer Madness' fly in at Breighton on 22nd August 2010
RIP
S
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Now I have had time to get my thoughts together I would like to say a few words. I first met Mark through my ATC job at Scottish Information. He would call me on a daily basis as he comuted the short distance from his home to the mine in his Gazelle YUHEI, later to be replaced by another Gazelle HALFB.Although at times we only spoke for a few minutes we drummed up a real aviation friendship....many times he would ask when are you coming to visit?? Eventually one day both my Wife and myself pitched up at the mine, although busy he dropped everything and spent the next 2 hours with us. We were bundled into a Jeep and driven up the mountain side and into the mine. He then took us into this huge ampitheatre that had been quarried out and hopefully one day was going to be his dream and turned into some sort of musical experiance. Then it was back down the mountain and we were shown how roof slates were fashioned by hand.
From the moment I met him I realised what a great guy he was.....so full of enthusiasm for everything, especially the mine, aviation and off course his cherished family. If I wanted to model myself on the nicest person in the world Mark would be that person.
Mark toiled long hours alone using his bear hands and turned that mine around from being disused to the huge tourist attraction it is today bringing much needed employment to the local area.
Only 4 days ago we spoke as he flew around over the Lakes, indeed he helped me out by relaying to an aircraft that I had lost contact with.
To be honest I am still in shock, as I guess many of his friends will be......one thing for sure I am glad my life was brightened by meeting such a lovely and friendly and enthusiastic person....the airwaves of Scottish Info will never be the same again without his cheery voice to cheer us all up on a gloomy day...... RIP my friend.
From the moment I met him I realised what a great guy he was.....so full of enthusiasm for everything, especially the mine, aviation and off course his cherished family. If I wanted to model myself on the nicest person in the world Mark would be that person.
Mark toiled long hours alone using his bear hands and turned that mine around from being disused to the huge tourist attraction it is today bringing much needed employment to the local area.
Only 4 days ago we spoke as he flew around over the Lakes, indeed he helped me out by relaying to an aircraft that I had lost contact with.
To be honest I am still in shock, as I guess many of his friends will be......one thing for sure I am glad my life was brightened by meeting such a lovely and friendly and enthusiastic person....the airwaves of Scottish Info will never be the same again without his cheery voice to cheer us all up on a gloomy day...... RIP my friend.
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As a Gazelle enthusiast I am very sad to read about this accident. My condolences go to the family and friends of the pilot.
As it happens I was in contact with previous owner of this aircraft, I'm sorry to hear for such tragic lost of life and a nice machine.
RIP
As it happens I was in contact with previous owner of this aircraft, I'm sorry to hear for such tragic lost of life and a nice machine.
RIP
.
FisBang what a touching tribute.
Some more about Mark:
Millionaire creator of Lake District attraction dies in helicopter crash | World news | guardian.co.uk
Mark with Eric Robson, Chairman of the Cumbria Tourism Authority
Scene from the crash site
Deepest condolences to Jan, children, family and friends.
S.
FisBang what a touching tribute.
Some more about Mark:
Mark Weir, 44, was flying solo on a routine flight when the aircraft came down close to the Honister mine between Borrowdale and Buttermere, which he reopened 14 years ago.
A flamboyant entrepreneur, Weir installed the UK's first "via ferrata", or metal climbing ladder, on the cliffs of Honister Crag and took about 60,000 visitors a year on guided tours of the vast warren of passages and caves.
He also restarted production of the celebrated local slate, which has a greenish-blue vein and has been used to roof some of the country's best-known buildings since the early 19th century.
Weir's body was found amid the helicopter's wreckage. He had set off to fly home on Tuesday evening after a day's work. Cockermouth mountain rescue team and a helicopter from RAF Kinross mounted a search and the crash site was found shortly before 1am on Wednesday.
A spokeswoman for Cumbria police said: "At 10.10pm on Tuesday, police received a call reporting concern for the welfare of 44-year-old John Henry Mark Weir from Mosser in Cockermouth, after he failed to return home after a short routine flight in his helicopter. Sadly, at 12.44am on Wednesday 9 March, a helicopter was found crashed, 200 metres south-east of the Honister slate mine, in Borrowdale. The pilot was found dead in the helicopter at the scene.
"Formal identification is yet to take place. However, it is believed to be local man Mark Weir. His family have been informed and will be supported by trained family liaison officers. Fire and rescue crews attended and the Civil Aviation Authority team from Swanwick has been deployed who will lead the air crash investigation."
A spokesman for Honister slate mine said the attraction's 30 staff were bereft and totally devastated by the loss of their leader, who was a fully trained and experienced pilot and "would never take any risks".
"Mark was a charismatic Lake District legend with a lust for life and a giant personality," he said. "He was passionate about everything he did from fatherhood to flying and business. He loved questioning authority but won many doubters over through sheer force of his personality.
"He was that rare mix of shrewd businessman and creative entrepreneur, just as comfortable in the company of royalty and celebrity as he was driving diggers with slate miners or making tea with the tourists who flocked to the mine. He loved Honister, indeed was Honister. He loved flying, he loved life in the Lake District. He is irreplaceable as a man, a son, a father, a partner, a businessman, a boss and a human being."
Weir and his business partner, Bill Taylor, brought modern marketing techniques to the isolated Honister site, a huddle of grey buildings in a jumble of mines and quarries at the summit of the 356-metre (1,167 foot) pass. A string of celebrities from the Duke of Edinburgh to Kim Wilde visited and posed for photographs as ever more exotic plans for underground and cliff-face attractions were proposed. Trekkers on the coast-to-coast walk that passes over Honister regularly found free tea on offer, alongside souvenir "coast-to-coasters", light enough to carry in their rucksacks.
Weir came from a Lake District family. His grandfather was employed at Honister in its Victorian heyday when more than 100 miners hacked out 3,000 tonnes of slate a year. He left secondary modern school at 16 and worked as a farm labourer and grave digger before building up a business empire that included retirement homes, a pub, fish and chip shops and a helicopter company in Leeds.
He was made Cumbria's director of the year in 2008. Weir is survived by his partner Jan and three children aged between 11 and 14.
A flamboyant entrepreneur, Weir installed the UK's first "via ferrata", or metal climbing ladder, on the cliffs of Honister Crag and took about 60,000 visitors a year on guided tours of the vast warren of passages and caves.
He also restarted production of the celebrated local slate, which has a greenish-blue vein and has been used to roof some of the country's best-known buildings since the early 19th century.
Weir's body was found amid the helicopter's wreckage. He had set off to fly home on Tuesday evening after a day's work. Cockermouth mountain rescue team and a helicopter from RAF Kinross mounted a search and the crash site was found shortly before 1am on Wednesday.
A spokeswoman for Cumbria police said: "At 10.10pm on Tuesday, police received a call reporting concern for the welfare of 44-year-old John Henry Mark Weir from Mosser in Cockermouth, after he failed to return home after a short routine flight in his helicopter. Sadly, at 12.44am on Wednesday 9 March, a helicopter was found crashed, 200 metres south-east of the Honister slate mine, in Borrowdale. The pilot was found dead in the helicopter at the scene.
"Formal identification is yet to take place. However, it is believed to be local man Mark Weir. His family have been informed and will be supported by trained family liaison officers. Fire and rescue crews attended and the Civil Aviation Authority team from Swanwick has been deployed who will lead the air crash investigation."
A spokesman for Honister slate mine said the attraction's 30 staff were bereft and totally devastated by the loss of their leader, who was a fully trained and experienced pilot and "would never take any risks".
"Mark was a charismatic Lake District legend with a lust for life and a giant personality," he said. "He was passionate about everything he did from fatherhood to flying and business. He loved questioning authority but won many doubters over through sheer force of his personality.
"He was that rare mix of shrewd businessman and creative entrepreneur, just as comfortable in the company of royalty and celebrity as he was driving diggers with slate miners or making tea with the tourists who flocked to the mine. He loved Honister, indeed was Honister. He loved flying, he loved life in the Lake District. He is irreplaceable as a man, a son, a father, a partner, a businessman, a boss and a human being."
Weir and his business partner, Bill Taylor, brought modern marketing techniques to the isolated Honister site, a huddle of grey buildings in a jumble of mines and quarries at the summit of the 356-metre (1,167 foot) pass. A string of celebrities from the Duke of Edinburgh to Kim Wilde visited and posed for photographs as ever more exotic plans for underground and cliff-face attractions were proposed. Trekkers on the coast-to-coast walk that passes over Honister regularly found free tea on offer, alongside souvenir "coast-to-coasters", light enough to carry in their rucksacks.
Weir came from a Lake District family. His grandfather was employed at Honister in its Victorian heyday when more than 100 miners hacked out 3,000 tonnes of slate a year. He left secondary modern school at 16 and worked as a farm labourer and grave digger before building up a business empire that included retirement homes, a pub, fish and chip shops and a helicopter company in Leeds.
He was made Cumbria's director of the year in 2008. Weir is survived by his partner Jan and three children aged between 11 and 14.
Mark with Eric Robson, Chairman of the Cumbria Tourism Authority
Scene from the crash site
Deepest condolences to Jan, children, family and friends.
S.
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A sad loss.
We visit the lake district frequently and have been here for the last few weeks. We have visited Honister several times and met Mark a number of times. We often saw his green Gazelle flying down the valleys.
What he achieved at Honister is remarkable and I hope that it will continue to thrive as a fitting memorial to a very special individual.
The weather here last night was very stormy with high winds, rain and poor visibility. Honister pass acts as a funnel for the wind, which can be tricky at the best of times.
All our thoughts are with his family, friends and employees.
He will be greatly missed.
What he achieved at Honister is remarkable and I hope that it will continue to thrive as a fitting memorial to a very special individual.
The weather here last night was very stormy with high winds, rain and poor visibility. Honister pass acts as a funnel for the wind, which can be tricky at the best of times.
All our thoughts are with his family, friends and employees.
He will be greatly missed.
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fishbangwallop. what a brilliant tale. a fitting obituary.
running a rural business is really, really hard. its not 5 days a week you have to live and breathe it 24 7. the authorities are not interested and the public can be terryfying. but get it right and the rewards are enormous.
and mark saw an opportunity where no one else dared and not only laughed in the face of adversity but actually thrived in it.
i never met mark, but last month on a lovely lakeland winter day i collected a friend who knew mark and he immediately suggested we go see him. i had wanted to meet him for years and this was my chance. i picked my way through the mountains in an r44 and circled above at 5000ft. what a forboding fortress. right on a ridge line, with winds that must have funnelled up the hill side. this was marks kingdom, no place for a novice 44 pilot. i declined and we dropped the lever back to the seaside.
imagine the scene last night, wind, snow and darkness. the reason why i sit bereft for a man i never met is because daily i struggle with the complexities of running a rural business but beacons like mark weir prove anything is possible. his ability to glide through problems and turn any conceivable issue into a positive is THE key to surviving in this environment. at the entrance to his slate mine, engraved is the following.
" to hope is to risk despair, to try is to risk failure. but risks must be taken, because the greatest risk in life is to risk nothing. the person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and becomes nothing"
rip. i can't begin to consider your legacy such will be its size.
running a rural business is really, really hard. its not 5 days a week you have to live and breathe it 24 7. the authorities are not interested and the public can be terryfying. but get it right and the rewards are enormous.
and mark saw an opportunity where no one else dared and not only laughed in the face of adversity but actually thrived in it.
i never met mark, but last month on a lovely lakeland winter day i collected a friend who knew mark and he immediately suggested we go see him. i had wanted to meet him for years and this was my chance. i picked my way through the mountains in an r44 and circled above at 5000ft. what a forboding fortress. right on a ridge line, with winds that must have funnelled up the hill side. this was marks kingdom, no place for a novice 44 pilot. i declined and we dropped the lever back to the seaside.
imagine the scene last night, wind, snow and darkness. the reason why i sit bereft for a man i never met is because daily i struggle with the complexities of running a rural business but beacons like mark weir prove anything is possible. his ability to glide through problems and turn any conceivable issue into a positive is THE key to surviving in this environment. at the entrance to his slate mine, engraved is the following.
" to hope is to risk despair, to try is to risk failure. but risks must be taken, because the greatest risk in life is to risk nothing. the person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and becomes nothing"
rip. i can't begin to consider your legacy such will be its size.