18 Mar 2022 Emiliano Raul Sala · Prevention of Future Deaths report Dorset
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Concerns raised 4 Risk of future deaths from illegal flights View source Failure of relevant organisations to communicate illegal-flight risks to their members View source Insufficient CAA powers for investigating and enforcing aviation regulation breaches View source Lack of effective public guidance about illegal flights and their risks View source See 1 more concern
Responses linked to these concerns
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AI-generated summary
Emiliano Raul Sala · Prevention of Future Deaths report
This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.
Report summary
Emiliano Raul Sala was a passenger on a flight from Nantes to Cardiff on 21 January 2019 when the aircraft crashed into the sea. He died from fatal head and trunk injuries; the flight was an unauthorised commercial operation. The report raised concerns about illegal flights, their safety risks, and limitations on the Civil Aviation Authority’s investigative and enforcement powers.
Read the report on judiciary.uk
× Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Professional Footballers' Association; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Risk of future deaths from illegal flights
Wider context from the report “2. I have concerns with regard to the following:
i. There could be future deaths as a result of these illegal flights , and I request that the Secretary of State for Transport conducts a review of the powers available to the CAA in investigating breaches of aviation regulations. I request that the Secretary of State for Transport consider meeting with the CAA to establish what powers they would find of assistance in their investigative and enforcement role.
ii. I further request that a review is undertaken by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport of the guidance given to the general public, especially all those involved in the sporting and music worlds, about the illegality of these flights and the risks associated with them. I would again request that consideration be given to meeting with the CAA who can properly advise on the risks associated with these flights, especially of future deaths that can occur and what support may assist them in deterring people from using these flights.
iii. I would request that all the organisations identified at numbers 3-20 in the list at the beginning of this report, consider cascading to all their members, and anyone else they consider will benefit from the information, the illegality of these flights and the risks associated with them, especially of a future death, in order to discourage the use of these flights. I would again request that consideration be given to liaising with the CAA who can properly advise on the risks and what support would be of benefit to reduce the use of these flights and prevent future deaths.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Professional Footballers' Association; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Failure of relevant organisations to communicate illegal-flight risks to their members
Wider context from the report “2. I have concerns with regard to the following:
i. There could be future deaths as a result of these illegal flights, and I request that the Secretary of State for Transport conducts a review of the powers available to the CAA in investigating breaches of aviation regulations. I request that the Secretary of State for Transport consider meeting with the CAA to establish what powers they would find of assistance in their investigative and enforcement role.
ii. I further request that a review is undertaken by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport of the guidance given to the general public, especially all those involved in the sporting and music worlds, about the illegality of these flights and the risks associated with them. I would again request that consideration be given to meeting with the CAA who can properly advise on the risks associated with these flights, especially of future deaths that can occur and what support may assist them in deterring people from using these flights.
iii. I would request that all the organisations identified at numbers 3-20 in the list at the beginning of this report, consider cascading to all their members , and anyone else they consider will benefit from the information, the illegality of these flights and the risks associated with them, especially of a future death, in order to discourage the use of these flights. I would again request that consideration be given to liaising with the CAA who can properly advise on the risks and what support would be of benefit to reduce the use of these flights and prevent future deaths.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Professional Footballers' Association; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Insufficient CAA powers for investigating and enforcing aviation regulation breaches
Wider context from the report “2. I have concerns with regard to the following:
i. There could be future deaths as a result of these illegal flights, and I request that the Secretary of State for Transport conducts a review of the powers available to the CAA in investigating breaches of aviation regulations . I request that the Secretary of State for Transport consider meeting with the CAA to establish what powers they would find of assistance in their investigative and enforcement role .
ii. I further request that a review is undertaken by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport of the guidance given to the general public, especially all those involved in the sporting and music worlds, about the illegality of these flights and the risks associated with them. I would again request that consideration be given to meeting with the CAA who can properly advise on the risks associated with these flights, especially of future deaths that can occur and what support may assist them in deterring people from using these flights.
iii. I would request that all the organisations identified at numbers 3-20 in the list at the beginning of this report, consider cascading to all their members, and anyone else they consider will benefit from the information, the illegality of these flights and the risks associated with them, especially of a future death, in order to discourage the use of these flights. I would again request that consideration be given to liaising with the CAA who can properly advise on the risks and what support would be of benefit to reduce the use of these flights and prevent future deaths.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Professional Footballers' Association; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of effective public guidance about illegal flights and their risks
Wider context from the report “2. I have concerns with regard to the following:
i. There could be future deaths as a result of these illegal flights, and I request that the Secretary of State for Transport conducts a review of the powers available to the CAA in investigating breaches of aviation regulations. I request that the Secretary of State for Transport consider meeting with the CAA to establish what powers they would find of assistance in their investigative and enforcement role.
ii. I further request that a review is undertaken by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport of the guidance given to the general public , especially all those involved in the sporting and music worlds, about the illegality of these flights and the risks associated with them . I would again request that consideration be given to meeting with the CAA who can properly advise on the risks associated with these flights, especially of future deaths that can occur and what support may assist them in deterring people from using these flights.
iii. I would request that all the organisations identified at numbers 3-20 in the list at the beginning of this report, consider cascading to all their members, and anyone else they consider will benefit from the information, the illegality of these flights and the risks associated with them, especially of a future death, in order to discourage the use of these flights. I would again request that consideration be given to liaising with the CAA who can properly advise on the risks and what support would be of benefit to reduce the use of these flights and prevent future deaths.
” Open source report
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Disseminate CAA unlicensed-aircraft guidance to current members through direct messaging and the website, with repeat circulation before each transfer window.
Verbatim wording from the response “We have written to our current members this week and put on our website, to raise awareness on the issue of unlicensed aircraft, and attached the guidance issued by the CAA in that messaging (which was provided to us by the EFL). We will ensure that this message is re-sent in advance of each transfer window, to include any updated CAA guidance that is issued from time to time. To note, we have searched relevant email boxes at the PFA and as far as we are aware, we did not receive anything direct from the CAA in September 2019.” Source location Response from Professional Footballers Association
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Add unlicensed-aircraft safety to the next relevant FIFPRO meeting agenda for discussion by trade unions from other associations.
Verbatim wording from the response “We will also add this issue as an agenda item for the next relevant FIFPRO meeting (FIFPRO is the worldwide representative organisation of professional footballers), so that trade unions from other associations can raise in their respective countries.” Source location Response from Professional Footballers Association
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation The players’ trade union has limited ability to effect change on travel arrangements.
Verbatim wording from the response “The PFA was shocked and deeply saddened by the death of Emiliano Sala and would not want to see this tragedy repeated. However, as the players’ trade union, there is a limit to what we can do as a body to effect change. Ultimately it is very rarely individual players who make the travel arrangements - this is done by the clubs and/or the players’ intermediaries. In the case of international transfers, where a player is joining a domestic club from abroad, the player will most likely not yet be a member of the PFA and therefore will be outside of our network until he/she has signed for the club and joined the union (as was the case with Emiliano Sala).” Source location Response from Professional Footballers Association
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Any specific football-industry rules or regulations must be introduced by leagues or governing bodies.
Verbatim wording from the response “To the extent that the football industry introduces any specific rules or regulations on this issue, this will be at the behest of the leagues and/or governing bodies (including FIFA and UEFA, amongst others, due to the international dimension of this particular issue).” Source location Response from Professional Footballers Association
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Clubs and players’ intermediaries usually make travel arrangements, not individual players.
Verbatim wording from the response “The PFA was shocked and deeply saddened by the death of Emiliano Sala and would not want to see this tragedy repeated. However, as the players’ trade union, there is a limit to what we can do as a body to effect change. Ultimately it is very rarely individual players who make the travel arrangements - this is done by the clubs and/or the players’ intermediaries. In the case of international transfers, where a player is joining a domestic club from abroad, the player will most likely not yet be a member of the PFA and therefore will be outside of our network until he/she has signed for the club and joined the union (as was the case with Emiliano Sala).” Source location Response from Professional Footballers Association
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Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations