SYDNEY, 1 Jan 2018:
Britain’s Compass Group chief executive officer Richard Cousins was among six people who died after a seaplane crashed into a river in Sydney on New Year’s Eve.
The other five who died in the crash were Emma Bowden, 48, Heather Bowden, 11, Edward Cousins, 23, William Cousins, 25, and 44-year-old pilot Gareth Morgan, said detective superintendent Mark Hutchings from the New South Wales Police.
Hutchings said Heather was with her father onboard and that all passengers knew each other. He added that police had already been in contact with UK authorities.
Australian media reports identified the victims as the CEO’s two sons, his fiancée and her daughter. The pilot of the plane, Gareth Morgan, 44, also died in the crash.
Compass Group – the world’s biggest catering firm – had announced last year Richard Cousins would step down as CEO effective March 31 this and would be succeeded by Dominic Blakemore, currently chief operating officer for Europe.
Compass said the new chief executive, Dominic Blakemore, would now start on Jan 1 instead of on April 1 as originally planned, following the news.
Compass, which serves around five billion meals each year in more than 50 countries, said Blakemore became deputy CEO on Oct 1 last year and take over the top position on April 1 this year.
Cousins, 58, who became CEO in 2006, was set to retire from the group on 30 Sept 2018.
Police are working with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to recover the wreckage of the plane, which is submerged in 13m of water near Cowan, north of Sydney.
An investigation into the cause of the crash has begun, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days. Authorities have warned that it may take up to a year to find out what happened.
The seaplane was part of the Sydney Seaplanes business, which has operated since 2005 with no previous record of mishap. Seaplane flights have been cancelled until further notice.