Tributes paid to pilot Arian Abbasi killed in Rochdale light aircraft crash

Tributes Paid to Pilot Killed in Light Aircraft Crash

Tributes have been paid to Arian Abbasi, 36, who was killed in a light aircraft crash earlier this week near Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

Mr Abbasi was one of two men onboard the aircraft, which crashed into farmland on Tuesday after taking off from Birmingham. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

In a tribute released on Friday, Mr Abbasi’s family described him, as a “deeply loving father and a devoted husband,” adding that he lived his life for his family and friends, giving them constant love, strength, and support.

Flying, they said, was his passion and a lifelong dream he pursued with “immense pride and determination.” He was due to begin his career as a commercial airline pilot on 23 February.

The aircraft involved was reportedly a Cirrus SR20, a model fitted with an emergency parachute system designed to deploy in the event of a serious malfunction.

Police are continuing extensive searches of the crash site to locate the parachute’s propellant, a critical component required for deployment. The difficult terrain and the wide area over which the device may have travelled have complicated the search.

Images shared on social media appear to show a yellow parachute partially wrapped around the base of an electricity pylon near the crash site.

Greater Manchester Police said the missing device is approximately 10cm in diameter and 30cm long, weighs less than 2kg, has a red anodised finish, and may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.

Officers have urged members of the public not to touch the device if found, but to contact police immediately via 101 or through the GMP website, quoting log number 1056 of 03/02/26.