Tributes have been paid to a Spanish pilot who died yesterday when his plane collided with another at a Portuguese air show.
Manuel Rey Cordeiro lost his life during an accident above an air base in Beja 110 miles south-east of Lisbon as six aircraft belonging to an acrobatic group called the ‘Yakstars’ were performing. The 62-year-old, known to friends as Coco, died after his plane burst into flames after a horror collision just after 4pm. It was too close to the ground to enable him to open his parachute in time.
The pilot in the other plane, a Portuguese national, managed to land safely before being treated for minor injuries. Manuel was born in the Galician city of Vigo and lived in the nearby town of Oroso.
As well as being a well-known acrobatic pilot and parachute expert, he worked as a commercial pilot for Spanish airline Vueling. The organisers of leading Spanish air show the Torre del Mar International Air Festival, where Manuel has also performed, said in a statement: “Yesterday in an accident during the Beja Airshow in Portugal, we lost our friend Manuel Rey Cordeiro, a pilot for Yakstars which was a much-loved team at our festival.
“It’s very difficult to transmit the sadness and desolation we feel over the loss of Coco, our friend Manuel. The Vigo-born pilot had more than 18,000 hours of flight time and had participated in some of the most prestigious national and international competitions. He was also a parachute expert and commercial pilot.”
They added: “Today the festival family mourns Manuel’s loss, a fighter that put wings to his dreams. From us and in the name of all his friends and followers, we send our best wishes to his family and friends.
“Manuel, we will continue to look up at the sky and search for your trail and your smile. Fly high friend.” Northern Ireland based fan Brian McCalden called his death “sad”.
Manuel was the Yakstars’ team Lead Solo, a position he had occupied for more than 15 years. The acrobatics team, featuring Spanish and Portuguese pilots, described him as “one of the most talented and versatile pilots in Spain and Portugal.”
In a profile posted before the tragedy, it said: “He is able to fly commercial jets like Airbuses, extreme aerobatic aircraft like the Sukhoi SU-29M, Extra 300/330, Cap 10, Yak 52 and a wide range of single engine and multi-engine aircraft, ULMs, para-gliders, hang-gliders, etc. And he is also a parachutist.
“With approximately 18,000 flight hours, he is a long time competitor with more than 25 years participating in national and international competitions, like the World Air Games, Microlight World Cups, Yak World Championships, Spanish WSC, Vueltas, CEVAs and more recently the World Aerobatic Championship. In the last 25 years we was runner up and champion many times in several different categories.”
Friend Curro Romero wrote in a tribute on social media: “A big hug for all his family and friends. Thanks Coco for the good times we’ve spent together.” Maria Paiva added: “My sincere condolences to you all and mostly extended to the pilot family and friends. A sad day.”
Madrid-based historic aircraft museum The Infante de Orleans Foundation said in a statement: “Coco was a great pilot and person who we will miss a lot. A big hug and our most sincere condolences to his family and friends. Fly high.”
At the start of last month a champion stunt pilot died in Spain after a vulture smashed through the windscreen into his cockpit. Olivier Masurel was killed as he returned to an airport in Madrid after taking part in an airshow in San Javier in the south-east province of Murcia. He was crowned Spanish Unlimited Aerobatic Flight Champion last July and was one of the three pilots that represented Spain at the 31st FAI World Aerobatic Championships in Poland in August 2022.
The San Javier Airshow, where Olivier had demonstrated his skills shortly before meeting his untimely death aged just 42, said in a statement alongside a photo of him doing a thumbs-up after the May 5 tragedy: “We are heartbroken by the news of the fatal accident Olivier Masurel, an acrobatic pilot who participated in the air festival, suffered.
“A vulture smashed into his cockpit and he died. The accident happened after the festival finished a few minutes before he returned to his destination. We accompany his family and friends in this sad loss. Flying has been Olivier’s passion and this fatal accident has cost him his life. Fly high dear Olivier.”