An inquest has opened into the death of a "well-known and liked" British Airways engineer who died following a collision at Heathrow Airport .

John Coles, 44, of Broadstone, Dorset, died after the van he was driving collided with an operations pick-up vehicle on the airfield.

He went into cardiac arrest at the scene and was taken to Hillingdon Hospital but could not be saved.

Acting senior coroner Sarah Ormond-Walshe opened the inquest into his death in a brief hearing at West London Coroner's Court on Thursday (February 22).

Police and airside operations vehicles at Heathrow Airport

She said: "The police are investigating this case and therefore from my point of view the inquest is effectively stalled whilst the police carry out their investigation."

No date for a further hearing was set.

Mr Coles was described as "well-known and liked" amongst his British Airways engineering team .

The driver of the pick-up van suffered a suspected broken shoulder in the crash.

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