By Rizwana Sheik and Kamcilla Pillay
As the search continued for more South African passengers aboard flight Afriqiyah Airways 8U 771, Lynette Tillett, mother of the first identified passenger thus far on the aircraft, flew to Johannesburg to be with family.
Catherine Tillett, 45, was on the Libyan plane which crashed on landing at Tripoli Airport early yesterday.
Tillett's boyfriend, Russell O'Gorman, a pilot at Global Aviation, was the first to hear of the crash. A colleague who was at the airport waiting to meet Tillett, called him.
O'Gorman said according to his colleague, the weather was bad with thick mist and virtually zero visibility.
After the crash, O'Gorman said his colleague went to the wreckage and determined that the plane crashed about 1km from the runway.
It was O'Gorman who alerted Jennifer, Catherine's sister, who lives in Johannesburg.
On hearing the news from her elder daughter, Lynette made several calls from her Pinetown home to various airports and airline companies seeking confirmation of the crash.
Unsuccessful in her attempts, she called the Daily News.
The crash was later confirmed by Global Aviation, Catherine's employer.
Catherine was sent on this trip to Tripoli to train cabin crew.
Global Aviation CEO, Johan Kuit, has confirmed that retired employee, Norbert Taferner, and his wife, Paula, were also on board.
"Catherine was the most thoughtful, caring and wonderful daughter. She never went anywhere without letting me know where she was," said her mother.
With no family in Durban, Lynette was surrounded by friends and neighbours at her home yesterday afternoon, before boarding a flight to Johannesburg to be with Jennifer.
Lynette said a recent SMS from Catherine read "I love you very much", something that Catherine does not normally do.
A family friend, who did not want to be named, and who has known Catherine since she was born, said the family was very close and 30 years ago had to overcome a difficult period when they lost their father to cancer.
She said: "When Lynn (Lynette) moved in here, Catherine was here drilling and sorting things out for her mom. She was the most beautiful girl, inside and out."
The plane, which took off from OR Tambo Airport on Tuesday night crashed on approach to landing, killing about 103 crew and passengers.
Latest reports indicate that a nine-year-old Dutch boy has survived and is being treated in hospital. A Dutch newspaper has named him as Ruben van Assouw of Tilburg.
The department of international relations has activated a response centre for concerned family of South Africans on the plane. No details of passengers were released at the time of going to print.
"The department has engaged with family members of the crash victims and will be liaising closely with them regarding any developments. A number of families have called and we are in touch with them," said Dayanand Naidoo, chief director of Consular Services.
Aviareps has established a line to which queries can be directed.
Afriqiyah Airways has set up a crash crisis centre in the Savati room at the Intercontinental JNB Hotel at O R Tambo Airport in response to the crash, according to TravelInfo.co.za.
Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has conveyed condolences to the families of those involved in the crash.
"As the department of transport, we are providing necessary assistance to the relevant authorities. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is in contact with a representative from Global Aviation (a South African non-scheduled airline) who is at the scene of the crash...
"Efforts are also under way to assess the number of South Africans on board the aircraft," said the minister.