A Mpumalanga couple tragically lost their lives in a light aircraft crash near Botshabelo Airfield in Middelburg.
Quinton Steyn, 39, and Lizette Steyn, 38, died on Sunday, May 18, 2025, in the afternoon.
Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, said the couple was reportedly travelling from Nelspruit to their house in Middelburg.
“Police were summoned to the scene, along with other relevant stakeholders. Upon arrival, the aircraft was still on fire, and the two victims were tragically burned beyond recognition,” said Ndubane.
Ndubane said the precise cause of the crash is currently under investigation. Aviation experts from Crashed Aviation Agencies have been contacted, and an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances that led to this tragic event.
Meanwhile, the acting provincial police commissioner, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased.
In April, reported that a light aircraft made an emergency landing on Tinley Manor Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast.
According to IPSS Medical Rescue they received a notification from the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) that a light aircraft had declared an emergency following engine problems and would be making an emergency landing on the Tinley Manor beach.
“Units from IPSS Medical Rescue, KDM Lifeguards, Kwadukuza Fire Department and Netcare911 immediately responded, arriving shortly after the emergency landing had been performed,” said spokesperson Samantha Meyrick.
She said fortunately, the pilots had done a fantastic job, walking away unscathed and no apparent structural damage to their aircraft.
“However, the quick arrival of multiple emergency services gives testament to how effective the process can be when an aircraft declares an emergency. If this had been a worse outcome, the arrival of help would have been swift.”
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