Man on round-the-world journey dies in aircraft crash

Quito, March 29 (IANS/EFE) A 62-year-old Swiss pharmaceutical executive who was trying to complete a round-the-world trip in 20 months was killed when his ultra-light aircraft crashed in Ecuador, the General Civil Aviation Administration (DGAC) said.

Eric Guilloud died on Saturday when his AEROSPOOL WT9 ultra-light plane went down in Cotopaxi, a province in central Ecuador, the DGAC said in a statement posted on its website.

Guilloud was flying alone from Latacunga, a city in Cotopaxi, to Tabacundo, a city in Pichincha province.

The Swiss executive decided four years ago to "break with the daily stress and buy an ultra-light, which he called 'my baby,' to travel around the world in just 20 months," the DGAC said.

The small aircraft had enough space for a suitcase containing essential items and a cooler that could keep food chilled for a day.

Guilloud wanted to fly over 34 countries, covering 76,000 kms and logging 384 flight hours with 106 landings, the DGAC said, adding that the Swiss pilot had already travelled to Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

At the age of 23, Guilloud "climbed into a cockpit and did not want to get out until he won the title of Swiss champion in 1976", the aviation agency said.

--IANS/EFE

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