Mystery as Emiliano Sala’s original pilot PAID for ‘rusty’ stand-in to take striker’s doomed flight after asking: ‘Want a weekend in Nantes?’

AN experienced pilot chartered to fly Cardiff forward Emiliano Sala from France to Wales PAID for a 'rusty' replacement to take the doomed flight, it was revealed today.

David Henderson, 60, was originally feared to be on the plane because his bank details had been used to book the flight.

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But he had in fact bailed on the flight and recruited David Ibbotson, 59, in his place, asking him "do you want a weekend in Nantes?"

Married dad-of-three Mr Ibbotson, from Scunthorpe, told pals he was feeling 'a bit rusty' just days before the doomed aircraft vanished with the £15million football ace on board.

Mr Ibboston, who was known to have financial problems, is said to have told Mr Henderson he had lost his credit card.

This led to Mr Henderson having to pay for Mr Ibbotson's hotel in France, and for the flight itself.

Mr Henderson's details were accordingly given to officials at Nantes-Atlantique airport, leading to initial fears he had been piloting the doomed flight.

DAVID IBBOTSON WAS A 'BIT RUSTY'

In fact it was Mr Ibbotson who took control of the plane, and aborted three attempted take offs in terrible weather.

An hour into the flight, Mr Ibbotson told air traffic control he was reducing altitude from 5,000 to 2,300 feet over the Channel Islands.

It later emerged Cardiff's record signing had expressed fears for his life in messages sent to close friends.

In a WhatsApp voice note, he said in Spanish: "I'm on a plane that looks like it's going to fall apart".

It's been an absolute nightmare for us

Football agent Willie McKay

It is understood ice on the wings is the likely reason behind the plane going down.

Football agent Willie McKay, who brokered the deal, said the incident had "been an absolute nightmare for us".

He said that if he had not allowed Sala to return to his old club to say goodbye to his former teammates and put his beloved dog Nala in kennels "he would still be with us".

Yesterday it emerged two cushions thought to be from the crashed plane had been found on a beach.

The polystyrene seat mouldings were discovered in Surtainville in Normandy, France.

It is 40km from where the Piper PA-46 Malibu vanished from radar near Alderney in the Channel Islands.

The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch will resume the hunt this weekend. It has reduced the initial 1,700 square mile search area to just four.

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