Fresh delay in 'dead air passenger' case

A woman arrested while trying to board a plane to Germany with her dead husband has been rebailed, police said today.

Gitta Jarant, 66, and her daughter Anke Anusic, 41, were arrested in April following accusations that they tried to smuggle Mr Jarant's corpse on to a flight to Berlin.

The women were arrested at John Lennon Airport in Liverpool when it was discovered that Kurt Jarant, a former pilot, was dead.

The 91-year-old had been put in a wheelchair and his eyes covered with sunglasses as the pair made their way through the airport.

The women said they thought he was simply asleep and had covered his face because of an eye problem they did not want other passengers staring at.

They denied claims that Mr Jarant, known as Willi, had been dead for some time, insisting he was alive when the three got a taxi from their home in Oldham, Greater Manchester.

A post-mortem examination concluded that Mr Jarant died from natural causes up to 12 hours before he was pronounced dead.

The women were due to answer bail today.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said the two women's bail was extended to July 12 for further inquiries.