Fatal light aircraft crash in Ferreira, Free State claims life of 45-year-old pilot
Emergency services vehicles at the scene of the light aircraft crash.
Image: Arrive Alive
Police have confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened following the death of a pilot in a light aircraft crash in Ferreira, south of Bloemfontein in the Free State on Friday.
A statement from the Free State provincial police, issued by Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli, said that approximately 10:20am, police were dispatched to the scene following reports of a plane crash.
“Upon arrival, first responders found Emergency Medical Services already on-site, attending to a male individual who was trapped within the wreckage.
“Tragically, the pilot, a 45-year-old male, who is believed to have been the sole occupant of the aircraft, was declared deceased at the scene by medical personnel. Investigators are currently working to locate and notify the next of kin,” the statement said.
The SAPS said it will be working closely with aviation investigators to determine the technical cause of the crash and an inquest docket has been opened for further investigation.
In December last year, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) reported that there had been 43 aviation incidents reported in South Africa during the current financial year, of which 12 crashes resulted in 17 deaths.