Animal expert and pilot died in desert plane crash

A wildlife expert and his pilot were killed when their plane crashed during a desert survey in Namibia, an inquest heard.

Prof Alan Wilson and pilot Neil Oakman, both 62, had been tracking oryx antelopes in the Namib Desert on 6 March.

Essex Coroner's Court was told Wilson, from Hertford, died from multiple significant injuries. The provisional cause of death for Oakman, who was from Saffron Walden, should be established once a toxicology report is complete.

Lincoln Brookes, senior coroner for Essex, offered his "deepest condolences" to their families and said a full inquest hearing would take place in October.

Wilson and Oakman had been staying at the remote Gobabeb Research Station in the Namib-Naukluft National Park.

Injuries sustained by Wilson included a brain injury and fractured skull.

Adjourning the proceedings, Brookes said: "Namibian authorities need to give this a great deal of consideration.

"It may take some time."

Wilson and Oakman were trying to better understand the anatomy, behaviour and physiology of the oryx antelope, according to Gobabeb Research Station.

It said to do this, they were using a "specially modified research aircraft" for aerial surveys.

Gobabeb described their "quirky sense of humour" and "infectious excitement" in a tribute shared online.

"Their work mattered, and so did the way they approached it - with humility, determination, respect, and a great sense of fun," a spokesperson said.

Wilson was a member of the Royal Veterinary College for more than 30 years, and a spokesperson there described him as a "world-leading researcher" who specialised in locomotion in humans and animals.

"This is an enormous loss, and one that will be felt by all who had the privilege of knowing and working with him," a tribute posted online read.

Oakman was described as a former commercial airline pilot who was passionate about flying vintage planes.

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