An EgyptAir plane crash nearly a decade ago, which killed 66 people, including a British man, was caused by an oxygen fire, a coroner has ruled.
Richard Osman, who grew up in Carmarthen, West Wales, died alongside 65 others when flight MS804 disappeared over the Mediterranean in May 2016. At an inquest on Friday, May 2, 2025, the coroner rejected a report by an Egyptian investigator suggesting there had been a deliberate explosion onboard.
Mark Layton, coroner for Carmarthenshire, agreed with a British expert who believed a fire had broken out on the aircraft, possibly fueled by a leak at an oxygen mask in the cockpit. Addressing the nine-year wait for the inquest, the coroner said it had been significantly delayed while they awaited the presentation of all evidence.
Osman's flight, from Paris to Cairo, went missing after entering Greek airspace. The inquest heard that the fire would have spread quickly before the crash, making the aircraft uncontrollable. Of the 59 passengers, two flight crew, and five cabin attendants on board, there were no survivors.
Mr. Osman's widow, Aurelie Vandeputte, described him as "loved and appreciated" by his family, including his two children, friends, and colleagues. Recording a narrative conclusion, Mr. Layton stated: "Richard Osman was a passenger of a commercial flight MS804, traveling from Paris to Cairo, which crashed into the Mediterranean Sea on May 19, 2016. Following a fire on board caused by an ignition source of unknown origin, most likely associated with the first officer's oxygen supply system, which either resulted from, or was fed by, an oxygen leak."
He shared his "heartfelt condolences" with Mr. Osman's family and thanked Ms. Vandeputte for her "patience and understanding over the many, many years it has taken to reach this stage." He confirmed he would write a prevention of future deaths report to look at how such a tragedy might be avoided in the future.
The inquest revealed that conflicting explanations had been put forward by French and Egyptian investigators regarding the cause of the crash. While the Egyptian report concluded that there was a "detonation of an explosive device secreted in the forward galley," the French investigation reported that the fire likely started in an oxygen mask storage box within the cockpit.
Aviation expert Kenneth Fairbank, who testified at the inquest, stated, "Despite the discovery of traces of explosives found on some of the wreckage and victims’ remains, the weight of evidence is not, in my view, consistent with the published scenario in which an explosive device triggered the accident." He asserted that the fire most likely started adjacent to the first officer’s position on the right side of the flight deck.
Fairbank noted that a hiss and a pop could be heard on a black box recording in the cockpit, but there was no sound of an explosion, with people heard saying "fire." Mr. Layton said he "fully accepts" Fairbank’s conclusion. He recorded a narrative conclusion stating that the crash was caused by a fire of unknown ignition source but likely fueled by the oxygen tank unit.
In a statement, Mr. Osman's widow expressed her relief that the inquest had finally taken place, saying: "Today, the inquest into Richard’s death was finally held, just short of nine years after his death. We can now close this chapter. Richard’s love, values, and determination inspired us every day of this journey and will continue building us over the years."
Mr. Osman was a 40-year-old geologist who had boarded the plane on the evening of May 18, 2016, for a business trip to Cairo. He was working and living in Jersey with his wife and their two young daughters. The couple had led a "global" life, living in Paris, Brussels, London, Athens, and Egypt before settling in Jersey.
During the hearing, Ms. Vandeputte shared the profound impact of the tragedy on her family. She recalled that their youngest daughter was just 22 days old at the time of the crash, and their eldest was two years old. She described her husband as a "charismatic yet humble young man" who was "respected by all" within the mining industry, with a scholarship created in his memory by his peers.
Ms. Vandeputte recounted the agonizing wait for news after the crash, saying she received no formal notification of her husband's death and was left with no information for long periods. "It was survival for many years… now I will hopefully be able to begin a new chapter," she said.
Mr. Osman was one of four children, and his younger sister Anna expressed her deep love for him, stating, "My thirties were engulfed with grief… it's a weight I will carry with me for the rest of my life."
The inquest revealed that the flight went down despite no mayday call being received by air traffic control. The wreckage was discovered in one of the deepest areas of the Mediterranean Sea, with smoke detected in the toilet and avionics area, which housed the aircraft's electronics below the cockpit.
In light of the findings, Assistant Coroner Mark Layton recorded a narrative conclusion, saying: "It is clear that a fire ignited and took hold of the aircraft… [which] maneuvered and descended in an uncontrolled manner." He expressed his condolences to Mr. Osman's family and noted that work would now begin on a prevention of future deaths report, reflecting safety recommendations highlighted in both the French and Egyptian investigation reports.
As the inquest concluded, the families of the victims were left grappling with the painful memories of their loved ones lost in the tragedy. The hope now lies in ensuring that such an incident does not occur again, as the investigation continues to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the crash.
