Aviation News – updated October 16 – A large-scale search and rescue operation is underway in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, after two light aircraft issued distress signals on Wednesday, prompting an urgent multi-agency response.
The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) confirmed that both aircraft—The Airplane Factory Sling 2’s identified as ZU-PBC and ZU-PBD—sent MAYDAY calls to air traffic control on 15 October. Rescue teams were immediately deployed through KZN’s early warning network to locate the planes. By late afternoon, one of the aircraft, ZU-PBC, was discovered west of Howick, where the pilot and sole occupant was found fatally injured.
The search for the second missing aircraft came to a tragic end on Thursday morning.
Authorities confirmed that the plane was found north of Boston, and sadly, the pilot was declared dead at the scene.