NELSPRUIT – An airplane that departed from King Mswati III International Airport in Eswatini has yet to land in South Africa and contact with the aircraft has been lost.
The aircraft, a Cessna 206, was due to land at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport earlier this afternoon, but once it failed to do so alarm bells were raised.
Mpumalanga spokesperson Sergeant Thulisile Magagula confirmed that the aircraft had departed King Mswati III International Airport at 13:23, but signal was lost at 13:37, adding that the location of the aircraft was unknown.
Gregory Critchley, chief of the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre, also confirmed that the aircraft is missing but they haven’t been able to pin down a precise location yet.
Missing aircraft Update
Search and rescue (SAR) teams continue their mission through tough winds, mist and rain between the Lebombo Mountains to find a missing Cessna 206 aircraft.
Gregory Critchley, chief of the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre, shared that two helicopters were dispatched to assist in the search, but were forced to return to base due to deteriorating weather conditions in the region.
He also confirmed that there was only one person on board. SAPS SAR, SARZA, ER24, SAPPI, Fidelity Security Services, Netcare HEMS (Aeromed 4), Emer-G-Med and Working on Fire joined forces near the Barberton Nature Reserve to help locate the aircraft.
The aircraft departed from King Mswati III International Airport in Eswatini and was scheduled to arrive at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport at 13:53 local time, but failed to land as expected.
