Duke of Westminster's £5million private jet goes up in smoke as it takes mourners to the billionaire landowner's private funeral
- The Citation 750 jet owned by Gerald Grosvenor involved in incident
- It was taking five passengers - including two pallbearers - to his funeral
- But the cockpit filled with smoke and emergency services were called
Pallbearers making their way to the late Duke of Westminster's funeral on board his £5million private jet had to evacuate the plane after the cockpit filled with smoke.
Five passengers were on board the Citation 750 aircraft when the emergency services were called after the incident at Inverness Airport in Scotland yesterday.
It has been reported that two of the passengers were due to carry the coffin of Gerald Grosvenor, who died from a heart attack on Tuesday aged 64.
Emergency services were called to the airport after the pilot suspected a technical fault with the plane.
Five passengers were on board the Citation 750 aircraft when the emergency services were called after the incident at Inverness Airport in Scotland yesterday
The Citation 750 aircraft which belonged to The 6th Duke of Westminster (pictured) had five passengers on board when the cockpit filled with smoke
The wealthy landowner (pictured with the Queen in 2004) died aged 64 on Tuesday
The plane - which belonged the duke - is thought to have had an air conditioning problem which caused the cockpit to fill with smoke.
It comes just one week after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge used the private jet to fly to France for a summer break.
A Highlands and Island Airports Limited (Hial) spokesman told The Press and Journal: 'Hial can confirm a precautionary emergency mobilisation took place at approximately 10am on Friday.
'The pilot of a Citation 750 private aircraft reported a suspected technical fault during pre-flight checks ahead of take-off from Inverness Airport.
'The aircraft was able to return to its stand under its own power and the incident was closed at 10.50am and emergency services stood down.'
All five people on board the plane were unhurt after three fire appliances joined the airport's fire service at the scene.
A fire service spokeswoman said they were alerted to a 'possible aircraft fire' which was extinguished when they got there.
It comes as his family revealed a 'quiet private' service was held on Friday for the sixth duke.
In a statement, the Grosvenor Estate said: 'A quiet private funeral service, attended only by close family members, was held this afternoon, Friday August 12, for the Duke of Westminster who died on Tuesday August 9 2016.'
The plane - which belonged the duke (pictured in 2003) - is thought to have had an air conditioning problem which caused the cockpit to fill with smoke
The 6th Duke of Westminster (pictured with Prince Charles in 2011) died from a heart attack on Tuesday
The duke was photographed with his wife Tally outside St Paul's Cathedral in London in June this year
The wealthy landowner, who was a close friend of the Royal Family, died at the Royal Preston Hospital after being transferred from his Abbeystead Estate in Lancashire.
He was worth around 10.8 billion dollars (£8.3 billion), according to Forbes, making him the 68th richest person in the world, and third in the UK.
The duke owned 190 acres in Belgravia, adjacent to Buckingham Palace and one of London's most expensive areas, as well as thousands of acres in Scotland and Spain.
Due to the rule of primogeniture, his dukedom has passed to his third-born child, with Hugh Grosvenor, at the age of 25, leapfrogging both his older sisters, Lady Tamara and Lady Edwina.
The duke is also survived by a third daughter, Lady Viola.
No more details of the service - including its location - were released but it said a memorial service would be held later this year.
It is understood that no members of the royal family attended the service.
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