Former Free Church Camper Killed in Plane Crash

A young man, who was killed on Sunday when the plane in which he was the pilot crashed into the English Channel, was named yesterday as Alex de Gruchy (25), son of David and Kathleen de Gruchy, who live in Jersey.

Alex’s mother, Kathleen, came from Stornoway and his grandmother is a member in the Free Church there. He was also a nephew of Major Iain Alasdair Macdonald of the SASRA organisation (an elder in Greyfriars Free Church in Inverness) and of John and Jane de la Haye in Wick (where John is the Free Church minister).

Alex, who was a professional undertaker and a keen pilot, was returning from Kent to Jersey and sent out a distress signal when his aircraft developed engine trouble. His body was found on Monday morning by a search party. The de Gruchy family have maintained a close connection with the Free Church, and Alex had been at several summer camps as a teenager.

We extend our sincere and prayerful sympathies to the family.

IM
Media Office