Richard Cousins killed in Sydney tragedy left £41 million to Oxfam

Richard Cousins, a British catering tycoon who was killed with his family in a New Year’s Eve seaplane crash in Sydney changed his will so £41 million was left to foreign aid charity Oxfam

A British catering tycoon who was killed with his family in a New Year’s Eve seaplane crash in Sydney changed his will so £41 million was left to charity Oxfam.

Richard Cousins died after the DHC-2 Beaver aircraft he was in plunged into the Hawkesbury River, killing his magazine-editor fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, and her young daughter Heather.

His sons Ed, 23, and Will, 25, also died along with experienced pilot Gareth Morgan, 44, in the horror crash in Sydney’s outskirts.

Mr Cousins, the boss of catering giant Compass, planned to leave most of his wealth to his sons.

But a year before the accident, he drew up a new will, inserting what is known as a ‘common tragedy clause.’ 

It was to be activated in the seemingly-unlikely event he and his sons were killed together and made Oxfam the main beneficiary, The Sun reported.

Richard Cousins’s brothers Simon and Andrew, who were the best men at the 1982 wedding of his first wife Caroline, will get £1million each. 

The chief executive’s first wife died of cancer in July 2015.

His brother-in-law Ian Thorpe told Mailonline how widower Richard Cousins, 58, had decided to quit his £5.6million job as boss of a catering giant to spend quality time with his new fiancée, magazine editor Emma Bowden, 48, and ‘be a dad again’. 

He died at age 58 after the DHC-2 Beaver aircraft he was in plunged into the Hawkesbury River, killing his fiancee her young daughter Heather, his adult sons and the pilot

He died at age 58 after the DHC-2 Beaver aircraft he was in plunged into the Hawkesbury River, killing his fiancee her young daughter Heather, his adult sons and the pilot

The CEO's magazine-editor fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, and her young daughter Heather were also killed, months before he was to retire to spend more time with them

The CEO’s magazine-editor fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, and her young daughter Heather were also killed, months before he was to retire to spend more time with them

OIder son Will, 25, was also killed

His son Ed, 23, when the plane crashed into the water at Jerusalem Bay and sank on Sydney's northern outskirts.

His sons Ed, 23, right, and Will, 25, were also killed in the crash, and had been due to receive his fortune

Ian, whose sister Caroline was happily married to Richard for 32 years before her death, said the tycoon was tired of the stress of being a CEO and had planned to retire in March 2018.

‘Richard was planning to retire so he could make Emma and her young daughter the focus of his life,’ he said in Januarym shortly after the tragedy.

‘He was in a stressful hard job and at the top of the tree and he saw an opportunity to get out.’ 

Richard Cousins’s estate is going to Oxfam only months after it announced it would be cutting £16 million in aid programs following allegations its staff used sex workers in Haiti after being sent there in 2010 to administer aid in the aftermath of an earthquake.

Richard Cousins (centre) left his brothers Andrew (left) and Simon (right)  £1million each. They are pictured as the best men at their late brother's 1982 wedding

Richard Cousins (centre) left his brothers Andrew (left) and Simon (right)  £1million each. They are pictured as the best men at their late brother’s 1982 wedding

Richard Cousins's first wife Caroline (pictured on her wedding day in 1982) died of cancer in July 2015

Richard Cousins’s first wife Caroline (pictured on her wedding day in 1982) died of cancer in July 2015



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