Search for the missing Cessna in which he was a pilot and three passengers was completed Monday morning. Parts of the plane that disappeared on a flight from Split to Germany on Sunday were spotted by a drone in the area of Brocanac near Rakovica.
– As soon as it was spotted from the air, ground forces were sent. Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that all passengers of the Cessna spacecraft were killed and a police investigation follows. On behalf of all operational forces, I express my condolences to the families and friends of the victims – said the director of Civil Protection Damir Trut. The sad news was also commented on by the German club owned by Cessna LSC Bayer Leverkusen.
– We hoped and feared with the pilot’s family, in the air sports community we gave each other courage and hope. Now our worst fears have been confirmed. We have lost a dedicated member of our aviation community and a good friend – said Reinhard Sablowski, President of the LSC Air Sports Club Bayer Leverkusen.
“Our thoughts are with the pilot’s family and the families of other people who were on the plane in this tragic accident,” he added. Among the members of the Bayer Leverkusen club, the news of the accident caused great horror and sadness.
The club states that, according to Croatian reports, a search drone discovered parts of the machine on Monday morning. At a press conference at 12:00, Croatian authorities confirmed that no one had survived the accident.
As previously announced, the German air traffic control search and rescue service informed the air traffic control at Leverkusen airport at around 13.30 on Sunday that a small Cessna 182 plane that took off from Split in Croatia did not arrive at its intended destination. Therefore, extensive search and rescue measures have been launched in Croatia.
– We in the club followed the reports from the Croatian media without a break and encouraged the pilot’s family – they say in the club.
At the same time, available data from other aircraft that may have been nearby at the time of the crash and that have a special collision avoidance system to help rescue services calculate the approximate location of the crash were used.
Unfortunately, all rescue efforts were in vain.
– The personal engagement and commitment of the Croatian police, rescue service, civil defense and the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service touched us all deeply. We followed the rescue operation on social networks. The search was hampered by heavy rain, fog and very demanding terrain.
However, the emergency services did not give up in the evening. Civil protection volunteers did not stop searching even in the evening. On behalf of our entire association, I would like to express my gratitude and great gratitude to the emergency services for this great and tireless commitment – said in a statement Reinhard Sablowski.
What could have led to the crash of the Cessna 182 will now be investigated by the Federal Office for Aircraft Accident Investigation, abbreviated BFU, in Braunschweig. BFU not only investigates all aviation accidents in Germany, but also accidents involving aircraft registered in Germany.
– Of course, we will fully support the BFU experts in the investigation. Unlike road traffic, every aviation accident is analyzed in detail and carefully by independent experts to learn lessons for the future and try to avoid future accidents. Therefore, we will not participate in speculations about the cause of the accident and we will wait for the results of the investigation – the club announced.