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The department believes the crash could be related to the weather in the province.
The plane that crashed in a Sappi forest in Sevenoaks, just outside Mooi River, on Sunday evening, killing three passengers on board, including 22-year-old student pilot Nqobile Biyela (inset). Picture : Zama Myeza
Authorities have located a light aircraft that went missing in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Midlands.
According to KZN MEC for transport and human settlements, Siboniso Duma, the aircraft carrying three people disappeared at approximately 3pm on Sunday.
The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) said that the aircraft departed from Virginia Airport on Sunday, 8 June, but failed to reach its alternate destination. It was last tracked flying over Ladysmith, heading south towards either Pietermaritzburg or Greytown.
The MEC confirmed the aircraft had been located and all on board had died.
The department believes this could be related to the weather.
“Understanding severe weather patterns as forecast by the SA Weather Service (Saws), we have made a decision to assist ARCC in their search and rescue operations.”
Aircraft missing: KZN weather
On Sunday, Saws issued a yellow level 2 warning of severe thunderstorms in the province.
“Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected in the southern parts of KZN, but scattered to widespread over most parts of KZN on Monday,” the weather service said.
“Some of these thunderstorms are expected to become severe along the south coast of KZN and over most parts on Monday. The severe thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by heavy downpours leading to localised flooding, large hail and damaging winds.”
“A cut-off low is passing over the south-central parts and is expected to result in snowfall over the high-lying areas, exiting the country through the south-east on Tuesday.”
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