THE former Officer Commanding of Jersey’s Air Training Corps, who played a key role in building the Island’s squadron, was remembered as a “kind and generous man” as an inquest into his death concluded that he had died from surgery complications.
Daniel Benedict McCann, known as Danny, died aged 83 in December 2025 due to complications from a surgery on a malignant glioma.
Mr McCann was born in Derry, lived in Watford, and moved to Jersey to work in finance, having previously travelled to the Island for a holiday.
Mr McCann was generally in good health until he started having seizures last year, the inquest held at Morier House (pictured top) heard on Tuesday, leading him to have an elective craniotomy at Southampton University Hospital in October.
Mr McCann’s partner explained that he had visited the Emergency Department after his first seizure, and was prescribed anti-spasmodic medication. But during a later appointment, she said, “the neurologist thought it was a TIA [transient ischemic attack, which looks like a stroke], not a seizure, and told him to stop taking it”.
“Two days later, he had a very severe seizure… He was unconscious for about 30 minutes,” she continued.
There was no implication that this led to his death.
During Mr McCann’s recovery, he struggled to swallow and was agitated and confused, the inquest heard, and he was given antibiotics for a chest infection. Because of bleeding in his brain, called subdural hematoma, Mr McCann underwent a second craniotomy, but he wouldn’t have been able to receive oncology treatment and he was transferred back to Jersey for palliative care.
Mr McCann died at Jersey Hospice on 20 December, with his family at his side, the inquest heard.
In a statement read out at Mr McCann’s inquest, his son shared memories of going swimming with his father.
Mr McCann “loved aviation”, he added, founding the Island’s Air Training Corps and regularly flying.
“It was a great passion of his,” his son continued, later adding: “He will be remembered as a great man.”
The 7 Overseas (Jersey) Air Training Corps squadron formed a route line at his funeral in February and described him as having “played a pivotal role in shaping the Squadron we know today”.
“Danny was instrumental in securing flying opportunities for our cadets. Through his efforts, he established a strong connection with RAF Lyneham, successfully arranging for all landing fees for military aircraft in Jersey to be waived. This led to one of the Squadron’s most important and enduring friendships — between our Squadron, RAF Lyneham, and the Hercules community,” they said in a tribute at the time.
“When Danny stepped down as OC in 1986, he handed over a thriving and well-established Squadron. However, his involvement did not end there. He remained a steadfast supporter right up to the present day and took great pride in the Squadron’s continued growth and success.”
Assistant coroner Dr Deryn Evans concluded on Tuesday that Mr McCann died of aspiration pneumonia, contributed to by a “cardio-vascular accident” following his surgery.
