Plane crash tragedy in Howick, KZN
Both missing aircrafts have been found after Howick crash. Two pilots confirmed dead.
A search and rescue operation unfolded dramatically in the skies over KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday (15 October) after two light aircraft sent out MAYDAY calls, sparking an urgent response from emergency services.
The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) confirmed after the distress signal came through to air traffic control.
Multiple search and rescue teams were scrambled through KZN’s early warning network to locate the missing planes.
By late afternoon, one of the aircraft was found west of Howick, tragically revealing that the pilot and sole occupant had suffered fatal injuries.
The aircraft has been identified as ZU-PBC.
Meanwhile, the search continues for the second aircraft, ZU-PBD, which has not yet been located.
This was no small-scale operation. The coordinated rescue effort involves:
- SAPS Search and Rescue,
- SARZA KZN,
- Mountain SAR,
- Midlands EMS, and many more.
Emergency teams operated in challenging conditions with dense mist and persistent drizzle which hampered visibility and slowed down search efforts.
Roland Robertson, Midlands EMS operations director, told The Witness that their teams remained on the ground, working alongside other units to find the missing second plane.
He also confirmed that there were no passengers aboard either aircraft, only the two pilots.
The investigation was later handed over to aviation authorities to determine what caused the distress calls and the crash.
East Coast Breakfast unpacked more on the incident below.
Take a listen.
Update: Second aircraft found
The search for the second missing aircraft came to a tragic end on Thursday morning.
Authorities confirmed that the plane was found north of Boston, and sadly, the pilot was declared dead at the scene.
According to News24, KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma said the Aeronautical Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre and the SAPS Search and Rescue Unit located the aircraft at around 07:20.
“Unfortunately, the second pilot suffered fatal injuries. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the two pilots. We will allow the team to retrieve the bodies of the two pilots this morning,” Duma said.
Both aircraft involved in Wednesday’s incident have now been found, and investigations into the cause of the crash continue.
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