Pin
Get email alerts
Request correction
Investigation and inquest
On 22 February 2017 I commenced an investigation into the death of Richard Mohamed Fekry Osman who was born on the 9 November 1975. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 2 May 2025. The conclusion of the inquest was as follows:
Richard Osman was a passenger onboard commercial flight MS804 travelling from Paris to Cairo which crashed into the Mediterranean Sea on 19 May 2016 following a fire onboard 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.
The cause of death was 1(a) air incident
Circumstances of the death
Richard Osman was a geologist on a business trip on flight MS804 which departed Paris bound for Cairo on 18 May 2016. In the early hours of 19 May 2016, as the aircraft was flying over the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, a fire broke out on the flight deck rendering the flight deck environment uninhabitable and causing the aircraft to be uncontrollable resulting in a crash. There were no survivors.
Coroner’s concerns
(1) That a full review of cockpit fire/smoke procedures be undertaken to include, but not limited to:
- the recognition of an oxygen fire (identifiable by a characteristic noise comparable to that of a blowtorch) and the immediate cutting off this oxygen supply.
- the installation or carrying of protective equipment to deal with any cockpit fires.
- a review of the effectiveness of Halon fire extinguishers to deal with onboard fires.
- a review of regulations (if required) to prevent the use of cigarettes in the cockpit and related flammable items and materials.
- the additional risk analyses to take into account the hypothesis of an overpressure in the oxygen distribution system.
(2) That a drafting committee be convened to consider amending Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation signed at Chicago on 7 December 1944 to provide:
(a) a right for states entitled to participate in an investigation to have access to evidence to enable those participating states to release a statement in accordance with Chapter 6.6.1 in circumstances where they have been excluded from an investigation by the State of Occurrence;
(b) a right of states entitled to participate in an investigation to take over conduct of an investigation in circumstances where a State of Occurrence does not produce a Final Report within a reasonable timeframe and does not produce interim statements indicating the progress of the investigation and safety issues raised within a reasonable timeframe and has not otherwise consented to the delegation of the investigation in accordance with Chapter 5.1.
Information checked against the published report and official responses