Retired businessman and wife who died when light plane crashed in Snowdonia praised as 'the best of neighbours and the kindest of people'

A retired businessman and his wife who died when their light plane crashed in Snowdonia last Friday have been praised as ‘the best of neighbours and the kindest of people’.Ketan Swali, 59, and his wife Sheetal, 55, had been looking forward to spending more time in the air after closing down the small family manufacturing business he had run for decades.Three years ago friends congratulated Mr Swali – described by neighbours as ‘thorough’ – on accomplishing his first solo flight as he stood proudly next to a plane.But tragically the Piper Warrior the couple had rented from a flying club in Staffordshire vanished off the radar while flying to Caernarfon Airport at around midday on August 14.Coastguards made an emergency call to police and following what police described as a ‘challenging’ search, wreckage was tragically discovered in a remote location near Trawsfynydd.Both Mr and Mrs Swali died from major impact trauma, according to the provisional results from post-mortem examinations, the hearing in Caernarfon was told.Friends and neighbours in Syston, Leicestershire have now spoken of their grief at the loss of the couple, who are understood to have two daughters.Susan Watson, 76, told the Daily Mail: ‘They were, honestly, the best neighbours I've ever had in my life bar none. Ketan Swali, 59, and his wife Sheetal, 55, who died when their rented light plane crashed in Snowdonia on August 14, were looking forward to spending more time in the air after closing the family engineering business Mr Swali (pictured) was congratulated on accomplishing his first solo flight in 2023‘They were so kind, so friendly, so helpful and so loving. Whenever I think of them, I can't stop crying.’Mr Swali, an engineer, had only recently retired after closing his nearby business, Arc Euro Trade Ltd, which made machinery such as lathes and employed around five people.Mrs Watson’s husband Sydney, 78, said: ‘We know his staff and they thought the world of him.‘He was a good man and they were a really, really genuine couple.’Mrs Watson added: ‘We would look after their bungalow when they went away and they'd do the same for us.‘We are quite a bit older and every day through the heatwaves, they'd ring us up to see if we were all right and if we needed anything.’Saying the community was still in shock after learning of their deaths on Saturday, Mrs Watson said: ‘We knew they liked to fly.‘It was something they did on a regular basis and something Ketan was looking forward to having recently retired. Mr and Mrs Swali's plane was due to land at Caernarfon Airport on August 14, with the alarm raised when it vanished from radar screens A Piper light plane similar to the one being flown by Mr Swali when it crashed in Snowdonia‘He was a pilot and had done all the courses.‘Everything he did was thorough so we can't imagine what could have gone wrong. There were no half measures with him.‘When I got the news I just burst into tears.’Saying her thoughts were with Mr and Mrs Swalis’ daughters, she added: ‘I lost my own dad in an accident when I was 15, so I know the pain of sudden loss, but to lose both your mum and dad at once is too much.‘They were a beautiful family, the best you could get.’Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said simply: ‘They were lovely people.’Today’s brief hearing was told the aircraft had been rented from Sherwood Flying Club, based at Tatenhill airfield near Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.A photograph on its Facebook page from July 2023 shows a grinning Mr Swali in front of a similar Piper aircraft.‘Congratulations to Ketan Swali on performing his first solo flight today, a great achievement!’ the caption reads, with friends responding by praising his achievement.Last year he wrote in a forum post that his firm was ‘closing the engineering tools and machinery part of the business’ after initially hoping to find a buyer who would keep it going.Mr Swali added that the firm was ‘financially sound and reason for closing is that I wish to retire’, adding a smiley face emoji.Today North West Wales assistant coroner Sarah Riley adjourned the inquest until a probe by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch is completed.Speaking to the couple’s family, who attended via Zoom, she added: ‘Condolences to you all.‘To lose Mr and Mrs Swali together I’m sure is devastating.‘My thoughts are with you at this difficult time.’