A British couple were killed yesterday in a helicopter crash in Spain between the ceremony and the reception.
The newly weds failed to appear at the hotel in the resort of Mijas, and guests' worst fears were confirmed when the Guardia Civil arrived to confirm that the accident had taken place.
According to reports, the couple, who have not yet been named, hired the helicopter to go sightseeing in the Costa del Sol after their wedding yesterday in the former fishing village of Nerja. The accident happened near the mountainous area of Istan in Malaga province.
Mr Jose Carmona, reception manager at the El Oceano hotel in Mijas, said: "It's incredible, something like that, a day that should be a day of joy and happiness for everybody, has turned into a tragedy."
A government spokeswoman in Malaga said that three people had died but would not confirm their identities.
The El Mundo website said the third person who died was the Spanish pilot. Another passenger was airlifted to the Hospital Clinico Universitario in Malaga.
PA