Yankees lead tributes to Lidle
Tributes have been pouring in for New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle as investigators attempt to find out why the plane in which he was travelling crashed into a Manhattan building last night, killing two people.
Lidle and his flying instructor, Tyler Stanger, died when a plane belonging to the pitcher hit the 20th floor of the Belaire tower in Manhattan’s Upper East side. It was not immediately known whether Lidle had been at the controls.
According to a federal official, the plane sent a distress call to the Federal Aviation Administration before the crash.
The craft was in the air for barely 10 minutes after taking off from a New Jersey airport.
Lidle had been returning home to California days after the Yankees’ season came to a disappointing end in the play-offs, losing to the Detroit Tigers in the American League Division Series.
Lidle pitched in game four of that series on Saturday.
“This is a terrible and shocking tragedy that has stunned the entire Yankees organisation. I offer my deep condolences and prayers to his wife, Melanie, and son, Christopher, on their enormous loss,” Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said.
