Authorities are meticulously reconstructing the events leading up to a tragic aircraft crash in KwaZulu-Natal, which resulted in the deaths of two aspiring pilots and a medical student. The small plane, a Piper Cherokee, went down shortly after its departure, casting a pall over both the aviation and healthcare communities.
The individuals who lost their lives in the incident have been formally identified as 23-year-old student pilots, Nqobile Biyela and Lulama ‘Lwazi’ Msane, along with 20-year-old medical student, Siphesihle Buthelezi.
According to IOL, the light aircraft had taken off from Virginia Airport in Durban over the weekend. What should have been a routine flight ended in disaster, prompting immediate action from national authorities.
Siboniso Duma, Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Transport and Human Settlements, confirmed that both the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) have commenced a formal inquiry into the circumstances of the crash.
“A report from the Accident and Incident Investigation Division is expected within 30 days,”
he stated.
As the investigation unfolds, the anguish felt by the victims’ loved ones is palpable. Duma extended a heartfelt appeal to the public to show continued empathy and solidarity with the bereaved.
“We are fully aware that post-mortem examinations of the victims by trained pathologists will be critical in terms of highlighting causative factors, crash injuries, and survival factors,”
he remarked.
In an expression of ongoing support, Duma noted that his department has been maintaining communication with the families affected by the tragedy.
“It is sad that, during Youth Month, we lose the lives of dedicated and intelligent young people who were destined to take the aviation and healthcare industries to the next level,”
he said.
