Saturday, 26 October 2024

Midair collision kills three

Sadly, three men have died following a midair collision of two light aircraft, a Jabiru UL-45 and a Cessna 182 Skylane, which subsequently crashed into bushland in Sydney's south-west.

Emergency services converged on the scene at Belimbla Park, near Oakdale, 86 kilometers (53 miles) southwest of Sydney around midday today after locals reported the accident. A minimum of five ambulance units, supported by police and fire services, were stationed nearby, with first responders trekking to the crash sites.

Both crash locations were situated close to each other, with one aircraft igniting upon impact.
Authorities confirmed the death of three men at the scene.

Acting Superintendent Timothy Calman of the New South Wales Police reported that one of the aircraft was a Cessna 182 flying from Cessnock to Wollongong with two passengers. The second was an ultralight plane from The Oaks airfield, carrying one individual.

Acting Superintendent Calman said that witnesses observed "debris falling from the sky" and hurried to assist at the crash site. He lamented that first responders quickly realized little could be done to rescue those on board, marking a sorrowful and tragic event.

He noted the collision occurred in uncontrolled airspace, and the crashes, roughly a kilometer apart, were "unsurvivable."

Efforts to identify two of the deceased are ongoing. NSW Ambulance Inspector Joseph Ibrahim stated that ten ambulances responded, including an air rescue helicopter.

Regrettably, he acknowledged that no intervention could have been made.

No comments:

Post a Comment