An airport owner from the West Midlands has been named as the second Briton killed in a plane crash in the Swiss Alps.
Anthony Hall, known as Tony, was on board a Cirrus SR22T propeller-powered aircraft when it came down near the resort of Leukerbad in the southern state of Valais on September 15, killing him and two others.
The businessman was managing director of construction and recycling company Pegasus, based in Lye, near Stourbridge.
Described by his family as an ‘incredible dad’, Mr Hall also owned Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport, located in Staffordshire.
Officials investigating the fatal crash say the plane took off from Sion airport in the Rhône Valley and crashed high into a mountain slope around 10 minutes later.
Firefighters, police and Valais Rescue Organisation teams raced to the scene in helicopters.
A probe is underway by the Swiss Transportation Safety Board and Valais Police, while the Office of the Attorney General are also investigating, but the cause of the crash remains unknown.
Mr Hall’s family said they were ‘completely heartbroken by the loss of a truly wonderful husband, devoted father and much-loved man’.
Airport owner Anthony Hall, pictured, has been named as the second Briton killed in a plane crash in the Swiss Alps
Mr Hall pictured with former local MP Suzanne Webb, who paid tribute to the businessman in the wake of his death
In a statement, they added: ‘Tony was an exceptional businessman who achieved great things in the construction/haulage industry, and his commitment to succeed and progress never faltered.
‘He was first and foremost a loving husband and an incredible dad to his daughter, whose family meant everything to him.
‘We will miss him immensely and will remember him as the kind, caring, generous, determined and fantastic character he was.’
Asking for privacy in the wake of their loss, the family said: ‘Our hearts go out to those who also lost their lives in this terrible tragedy.’
Former MP for Stourbridge, Suzanne Webb on Thursday said: ‘Tony will always be a legend to me. What he achieved in helping build Pegasus into the success it is today, alongside the other directors, was remarkable.
‘But beyond the business, Tony was great fun to be around and, quite simply, a genuinely good person. I will miss his quick wit and humour.’
Ms Webb also praised Mr Hall’s charity work including his support for the Poppy Appeal and Military Vehicle Parade.
‘Having served in the armed forces, he gave his support willingly,’ she added.
‘His life was tragically cut short, but what he achieved after leaving the army was truly inspiring, and he did it with a passion I was always in awe of.’
A statement posted to Pegasus’s Facebook page read: ‘In memory of Tony Hall. It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of Tony Hall, founder of Pegasus.
‘Tony built Pegasus from the ground up through hard work, determination and genuine commitment to the business and the people within it.
‘He built a strong team and a business with values and solid foundations, which he was incredibly proud of.
Three people, including two Britons, died after a propeller-powered aircraft crashed in the Alps in southwest Switzerland (Pictured: the scene following the crash)
‘Although a prominent business figure, he was first and foremost a loving husband and an incredible dad to his daughter, whose family meant everything to him.
‘We will miss him immensely and will remember him as the kind, caring, generous, determined and fantastic character he was.’
The Foreign Office has said it is ‘providing support to the families of two British nationals who died in Switzerland’.
‘Our thoughts remain with the families during this difficult time,’ it added.
Last week, engineering boss Owain Davies, 55, was the first Briton to be named as a victim of the crash.
Father-of-two Mr Davies was described by his firm Amcanu as an ‘unstoppable force’ and a ‘very good friend’.
He took over the running of the company in Burry Port, South Wales, in 2000, after it was founded by his father Spencer Davies OBE in 1975.
The company said: ‘He was a familiar face on the factory floor, an unstoppable force, a mentor and, for many people who have spent a significant part of their working lives at Amcanu a very good friend.
‘Above everything else, he was a husband, father and grandfather.’
The tribute went on to describe Mr Davies as ‘a real character’ who was ‘determined, strong-willed, spirited, reflective and immensely proud’.
It continued: ‘There was another side of Owain that not everybody knew about. He loved flying.
‘Owain was an experienced pilot and aviation was a genuine passion – technically, socially and simply for the freedom and enjoyment it gave him.
‘He had a large circle of friends within the aviation community and would fly his helicopter whenever the opportunity arose.
‘He didn’t make a great show of it. In fact, many people who knew him professionally may never have known how important aviation was to him.
‘At the time of the accident, Owain was travelling as a passenger, alongside two of his closest friends.
‘The circumstances of his death are devastating, but flying was something that brought Owain enormous happiness throughout his life.
‘Owain was admired. He was respected. He was sometimes formidable. He was enormously caring.
‘He was a husband, a dad, a grandad, a son, a mentor, a leader and a friend… And he will be missed more than we can possibly express.’
Amcanu added that Mr Davies was ‘a proud Welshman and Welsh speaker’ and had been a trustee of Wales Air Ambulance Charity since 2017.
The charity’s chair of trustees, Dr Kyle Jacques, said he had made a ‘significant contribution to the Wales Air Ambulance and the vital service we provide’.
Engineering boss Owain Davies also died when the Cirrus SR22T plane he was travelling in crashed in the Swiss Alps
‘Owain was a valued colleague and friend, whose loyalty and generosity of spirit meant so much to us. He will be greatly missed,’ he added.
An image of the crash site shared by local police showed the wreckage of the plane on a mountainside.
In a statement, the force said: ‘Shortly after 4pm, for reasons yet to be determined, the aircraft collided with the northern slope of a mountain in the Fluhalp area of Leukerbad.
‘Signs of smoke were subsequently reported in the region.’
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