Essex plane crash victim was celebrating leaving university

One of two people killed in a plane crash in Essex had booked the flight to celebrate finishing university, the BBC has learned.

Indian student Vamshi Krishna Mandala, 25, was on a 30-minute flight experience that plummeted into a field in High Ongar at 12:30 BST on Tuesday.

The crash happened eight minutes after the two-seat Cessna light aircraft set off from nearby North Weald Airfield.

The family of Mandala, a masters student at the University of East London, told the BBC they felt “profound grief and deep anguish” about his death.

A spokesman for the Indian High Commission said: “We are in touch with the family of Vamshi Krishna Mandala and the British authorities, and we are coordinating with them.

“Our first priority is to assist the family in this case.”

Essex Police said the families of both victims were “being supported by specially trained officers”.

Investigators have been trying to piece together how the plane crashed.

Post-mortem examinations are due to take place on Monday, it is understood.

Mandala had been looking forward to surprising his parents in India in July, his uncle, Sai Kumar, said.