Cape Town - In the third aircraft accident in a month, the two injured pilots who landed in Luzuko, Lower Crossroads on Tuesday evening, were robbed of their belongings including headsets after the crash.
The light aircraft took off from Swellendam and intended to land at Cape Town International Airport. The accident occurred on approach.
This follows the deaths of two people who were killed after the light aircraft they were travelling in crashed on a farm in Kinkelbos, Gqeberha, on Saturday night.
Two men were also injured on June 1 after their light aircraft crashed on the R44 between Stellenbosch and Strand.
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said the police are probing the circumstances surrounding the latest incident.
“This office confirms that it came to the attention of the Saps that the two occupants of a light aircraft were robbed, after the pilot executed an emergency landing between Luzuko and Lower Cross Roads on Tuesday, June 28 at around 5.35pm.
“Kindly be advised that an official complaint is yet to be registered by the complainants,” said Swartbooi.
Luzuko resident Ntombezulu Tyumra said she is grateful that the light aircraft did not crash into homes and there were no fatalities.
“I swear it was early Christmas for some of us because it was the first time we touched an aircraft with our hands. It was just jubilations all over the place. Some of us were excited and that is why we got closer to it but some were there to commit crimes. If you look closely at the circulating video there are those who were inside the aircraft and I don’t know how they got inside. We dispersed from the scene after we saw police officers and Law enforcement vehicles coming toward us. This is something some of us will remember forever,” said Tyumra.
South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesperson, Marie Bray, said the Accident and Incident Investigation Division (AIID) has started the process to collect evidence and gathering more information which will assist to define the size and scope of the investigation as well as the anticipated time frame for the completion of a final accident investigation report.
“AIID has been notified about an aircraft accident that took place on June 28, 2022. There were two persons on board the aircraft and both occupants sustained injuries and were taken to hospital. Please note that in terms of Regulation 12.03.1 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (2011), an aircraft accident investigation report is compiled in the interest of the promotion of aviation safety and the reduction of the risk of aviation accidents or incidents and not to apportion blame or liability,” said Bray.
Meanwhile, a preliminary report of Saturday’s Gqeberha crash is expected within 30 days.
Cape Times