The search has resumed for the missing 61-year-old pilot of the Light Aircraft Crash, which occurred yesterday near Suncoast Beach in Durban. Paramedics are currently on standby at the scene, but the incident is now being treated as a recovery operation.
Multiple NSRI rescue craft, police and Metro Police divers, a police helicopter, lifeguards, and emergency services combed the area yesterday afternoon, but there has been no sign of the missing pilot.
Since the early hours of Friday morning, from first light, Metro Police, eThekwini Municipal lifeguards and the SA Police Services have continued to recover wreckage washed ashore overnight.
eThekwini Municipal lifeguards deployed lifeguards and resources to search out to sea in an ongoing search and to recover wreckage beyond the back breakers.
The NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Surfski 6 will be deployed to assist in the ongoing search and to provide a platform for Police divers and Metro Police divers in ongoing scuba dive search efforts.
The search grid coordinates are being evaluated in cooperation with NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) using advanced search technology, taking into account sea drift patterns.
The aerobatic Extra 300 was performing its final display at an airshow linked to the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Summit when it went down around 1:45pm.
Video shows the plane trailing smoke before spiralling into the sea.
*This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available
