It was 12 months ago today when a light plane carrying 4 American golfers and a pilot crashed into a shopping centre near Essendon airport. Workers at the centre will gather today to pay tribute to five men killed in the crash. It was and still is Victoria's worst air disaster in 30 years.
Below is a copy of the story I posted last February.
A light plane carrying five people has crashed into the DFO Shopping Centre near Essendon Airport killing all five people on board.
A long plume of black smoke is billowing out of the crash scene. Eight fire crews are responding, according to a Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman.
The plane, a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air VH-ZCR (CN BB-1544) was chartered for King Island and was being operated by Corporate and Leisure Travel, who had hired it from MyJet in Bendigo.
Minister for Police Lisa Neville said debris from the crash was also covering the freeway.
"It appears that a light plane which was a charter flight has impacted the DFO out at Essendon Fields. There is also debris that has been left on the Freeway. It is too early yet to know whether there have been any injuries or fatalities."
Images on social media appear to show the plane hit the roof of the Essendon DFO shopping centre, which sits on the boundary of Essendon Airport.
Footage from the scene shows firefighters pouring water on a large hole in the centre's roof. Other parts of the roof appear to be on fire.
The plane crashed just before 9am, a police spokesman said. At this stage there was no information on injuries.
The Tullamarine Freeway is closed in both directions between English Street and Bell Street, and the Calder Freeway is closed in both directions between McNamara Avenue and Bell Street.
Ambulance Victoria confirmed the plane was not an air ambulance, as had earlier been reported on social media.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the immediate families and friends and everyone involved in this horrible accident.
GOD BLESS
