An air steward who washed up on Hythe beach had been off work sick following a horrific landing a month before.

Andrew Barnes was discovered dead on Friday, April 11 by a member of the public between the Mercure Hythe Imperial hotel and Princes Parade's junction with the A259 at Seabrook.

Paramedics were called but Mr Barnes was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police investigating the incident said it was not being treated as suspicious.

A post mortem examination that was carried out at the William Harvey Hospital, in Ashford, in the days following his death however proved inconclusive.

Now, a national newspaper has revealed that British Airways steward Mr Barnes had been off work for a month before his death following a bad flight from Heathrow to Madrid.

According to the Sunday Express, all eight members of the cabin crew were signed off sick following the ‘heavy landing’ and none have flown since.

This included Mr Barnes, who had reported a neck injury following the flight.

Witnesses say cabin crews adopted the emergency position during the landing and that some passengers could be heard screaming.

They also claim that they heard a 'loud roar' as the plane approached the runway, before 'all went quiet'.

British Airways however have said that the Boeing 767 landed normally at Madrid’s Barajas airport and no complaints from passengers have been received.

It is understood that Mr Barnes had returned home a few days following the flight, which took place on March 12.