Paralysed charity campaigner Claire Lomas died while filming a documentary series for Apple TV+ after the adapted microlight aircraft she was flying crashed into a large rock in Jordan, an inquest has heard.
Lomas, who became famous after completing the London Marathon in 2012 using a bionic suit despite being paralysed from the chest down, was taking part in the production when the fatal accident occurred. The crash happened in Jordan, where the crew had been filming segments for the series.
The inquest heard that Lomas had been piloting an adapted microlight aircraft, modified to accommodate her disability, when it struck a large rock and came down. She died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.
Lomas had spent years in the public eye as one of Britain’s most recognisable disability campaigners. Her 2012 marathon effort captured the nation, with thousands lining the streets of London to cheer her on as she completed the 26.2-mile route over 16 days using a robotic exoskeleton. She raised over 750,000 pounds for spinal injury research off the back of that achievement alone.
She went on to complete a number of other high-profile challenges, consistently pushing back against the idea that paralysis meant limitation. Horse riding, skydiving, and cycling were among the many activities she threw herself into after breaking her neck and back in a horse riding accident in 2007, which left her paralysed.
Friends and family have paid tribute to her courage and determination, describing her as someone who refused to let her injuries define what she could or could not do. That spirit appeared to be very much alive in the lead-up to her death, with the Apple TV+ project representing yet another boundary she was determined to cross.
Details about the exact nature of the Apple TV+ series have not been fully disclosed, but the production involved Lomas taking on adventurous physical challenges, consistent with the kind of work she had become known for throughout her campaigning career.
The inquest is ongoing, and investigators are continuing to look into the precise circumstances that led to the microlight coming down. Questions around the aircraft, the terrain, and the conditions at the time of the crash are expected to form a central part of the proceedings.
Lomas is survived by her two daughters and her partner. Tributes poured in from the spinal injury community, fellow campaigners, and members of the public who had followed her journey over more than a decade. Spinal Research, one of the charities she supported, described losing her as a devastating blow.
Her story had long been one of defiance and determination, and for many in the disability community she represented proof that life after serious injury could still be full, adventurous, and meaningful. The circumstances of her death, doing something bold and ambitious in front of a camera, feel in keeping with how she lived.