Greece's civil aviation authority said Tuesday that a deadly helicopter crash that killed two British newlyweds on an Aegean island this week might have been caused by a tail rotor malfunction.
"From a preliminary evaluation of the available material, there are signs of a possible malfunction in the performance of the helicopter's tail rotor," the agency said in a statement.
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The private Bell 206 helicopter crashed Monday near homes on the popular Cyclades island of Sifnos, shortly before it was to land at a local helipad.
Greek TV footage shows the helicopter on a landing approach over a hillside before it stalls in mid-air, starts to spin on its axis, and falls.
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Sifnos deputy mayor Manolis Foutoulakis told Alpha TV that local residents had reported a "strange sound" just before the helicopter crashed outside the helipad.
One of the passengers was found a short distance away from the wreckage, he added.
"I saw one of the bodies lying face up, charred," Foutoulakis said. "I'm in shock."
The crash sparked a fire that was quickly extinguished by the local fire service.
British media identified the newlyweds as Alexander Cromie and Marie Ebert, as well as the operator, former Greek army pilot Giorgos Raikos, a father of three.
The civil aviation authority on Tuesday called on all Greek operators using Bell 206s to inspect the tail rotors and tail rotor drive system before any takeoff.
The accident is being investigated by Greece's national agency on aviation and transportation safety and police.