Durban - A South Coast optometrist and his wife are still at the Life St Dominic’s Hospital after being seriously injured in a plane crash at East London Airport on Wednesday.
The couple, Willem and Sanja Nieuwenhuis, and their children Ruan, Liandri and Talita, were flying to Margate on their way back from the Grahamstown National Arts Festival in the Eastern Cape when the accident happened.
After leaving Grahamstown they stopped over at East London Airport to refuel.
During the landing, the plane crashed and the main runway of the airport had to be closed while emergency services attended to the accident.
The second runway was kept open to allow for the arrival of other planes.
On Thursday night the couple’s spokeswoman, Magda Meyer, said they were waiting for a report on their progress from the doctor who was treating them.
The couple’s friend, Herman Pretorius, who is in contact with the pair, said on Thursday Willem had been placed in a ward while Sanja was still in intensive care.
Pretorius said Willem, who had been flying the plane, injured his right knee, chest and forearm. Apparently both Sanja’s legs were injured.
Pretorius said they were still in the dark about what had caused the crash.
“Nobody knows. They were coming in for landing and what we know is that there was strong wind.
“It could be the wind, but we are still waiting to know what exactly caused the accident,” he said.
Pretorius said Ruan, 17, pulled his sisters out of the wrecked plane after it had crashed and then helped his mother out. Willem, meanwhile, managed to crawl out of the wreck himself.
The couple own the aircraft and Willem, who has a practice at Shelly Beach, is an experienced qualified pilot.
“Willem has a commercial pilot’s licence and he is an above-average pilot who is very proper when piloting.
“This was the first accident they had had,”
Pretorius said.
The three children are still in East London after being treated for minor injuries.
There were plans to get the couple to Durban for surgery, so they could be close to friends and family.
Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said the circumstances leading up to the accident would be examined and further details would be released in due course.
“Sincere commiserations to those injured in the ill-fated aircraft crash.
“We also thank the Eastern Cape health and emergency services for their rapid response in tending to the victims,” she said.
The Mercury