Eastern Cape on alert for missing plane, pilot
Authorities on the Eastern Cape coastline between East London and Port Elizabeth have been put on alert following the disappearance of a light aircraft in KwaZulu-Natal last week.
The 61-year-old pilot, reported to be Johan Fourie, from Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal, has been missing since Wednesday morning.
The pilot was flying a small Foxbat aircraft.
National Sea Rescue Institute spokesman Craig Lambinon said the search started on Thursday, extending up to five nautical miles offshore.
The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) has since confirmed that the aircraft’s last known position put it flying over the coastline in the vicinity of Mabibi, close to the Mozambique border.
“NSRI rescue stations between St Lucia and East London have been requested to keep a vigil and, as a precautionary measure, to extend the vigil along the coastline to also include our NSRI stations in Port Alfred and Port Elizabeth,” Lambinon said.
ARCC chief Santjie White said an extensive search near Mabibi had been done, taking into account if the aircraft had gone down further offshore.
“A land search has also yielded no sign of the missing aircraft,” White said.
Lambinon said their teams were also monitoring reports from members of the public in the event of debris washing ashore.
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