DUBLIN- A young widow has spoken publicly about her grief after losing her husband, a Ryanair (FR) captain, just three months into their marriage, as the lorry driver responsible for a fatal motorway crash was jailed in the UK.
The collision occurred after the pilots completed duties linked to flights operating from Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL), with aircraft movements earlier that night involving Palma de Mallorca (PMI) and London Luton Airport (LTN). Both pilots were returning to their Liverpool base by road when the tragedy unfolded.
M62 Crash Details
The fatal incident happened at 5:31 a.m. on July 11, 2024, during torrential rain and poor visibility on the M62 near Warrington.
A taxi carrying two Ryanair pilots was stationary in queuing traffic when it was struck from behind by a fully loaded HGV travelling at high speed.
The impact killed Captain Matt Greenhalgh, 28, and Senior First Officer Jamie Fernandes, 24, who were asleep in the rear of the vehicle. Taxi driver Rashid Mehmood survived but sustained multiple serious injuries that have prevented him from returning to work.
Investigators found the lorry driver ignored a 40 mph advisory speed limit and braked just one second before impact.
Tachograph data showed the truck was travelling well above the recommended speed despite clear warning signs and visible traffic congestion ahead.
Court And Sentencing
Addressing the court, Hannah Greenhalgh described the emotional devastation of becoming a widow at 27 after only three months of marriage.
She said the couple had recently bought their first home and were planning to start a family before their future was abruptly taken away, and was quoted in the Daily Mail as having said:
“It took me nine months to get Matt’s epaulettes back. His absence has left a void in this family that can never be filled. We mourn the future that was stolen from him and from us.”
Family members of both pilots delivered victim impact statements detailing the lasting emotional and psychological toll. Jamie Fernandes’s family learned of the crash through an automated alert from his personal device, underscoring the suddenness of the loss.
The court heard that Burns was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs but appeared to have been inattentive for a prolonged period.
The judge described the collision as entirely avoidable and imposed a 150-month driving ban alongside the prison sentence.
Bottom Line
The deaths of two young Ryanair pilots have left families, colleagues, and the wider aviation sector grappling with a preventable loss.
While airlines invest heavily in inflight safety, the case highlights how off-duty risks can be just as fatal.
For the aviation community, the tragedy serves as a stark reminder that professional responsibility on the ground is as critical as it is in the air.
The legacy of the two pilots now lives on through memorial initiatives and renewed calls for strict adherence to motorway safety rules.
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