The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has confirmed that plans are underway to repatriate the remains of an Indian pilot who tragically lost his life in a light aircraft crash in Nottingham Road on Wednesday.
The incident is part of a dual tragedy that has struck the aviation community, as both pilots involved in separate crashes in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands were confirmed dead.
Speaking to , the spokesperson for the Department of Transport in KZN, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, said details regarding identities of the pilots were not yet available.
“We will release a statement once there are new developments,” he said.
Meanwhile, KZN MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, expressed his heartfelt condolences to the grieving families during an emotional address on Thursday.
“First and foremost, we wish to express our deepest condolences to the families of the two pilots who died when the two light aircraft had crashed in Nottingham Road and north of Boston respectively,” said Duma.
He said his office had been instructed to provide assistance to both families.
The process leading up to the tragic discovery of both aircraft began with a distress call received by the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) amid severely inclement weather.
Reports indicated that both planes were missing, igniting an intense search and rescue operation that included multiple agencies from both the public and private sectors.
The first aircraft was located near Howick, where the pilot was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. The search intensified overnight, leading to the discovery of the second aircraft on Thursday morning in the Midlands, with its pilot also confirmed deceased at the crash site.
Duma commended the swift and coordinated response from the search and rescue teams, who displayed remarkable efficiency and professionalism despite the daunting challenges posed by difficult terrains and adverse weather conditions.
“We pause to salute experts from the Aeronautical Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre, SAPS, and other emergency teams from different spheres of government and the private sector,” he stated, acknowledging their dedication in a time of distress.
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