A highly experienced Canadian seaplane pilot killed in a crash in Australia on New Year’s Eve was remembered as “a great pilot and a great man,” at funeral services in Sydney. Gareth Morgan was flying a group from a fly-in restaurant to a base near Sydney. The four passengers, members of a prominent British business family, were all killed. Morgan, 44, worked for Harbour Air before moving to Australia to work for Sydney Seaplanes a few years ago. He was born in Australia but moved to Canada as a child and his parents live on Vancouver Island.
Morgan was touted as a professional soccer prospect but chose aviation over the football pitch. He had more than 10,000 hours in seaplanes and was a highly respected pilot. It was reportedly gusty when his Beaver crashed on the Hawkesbury River after flying a family back from dinner at a nearby restaurant. Morgan’s ashes are being returned to Canada and a service is planned later this month.