Mourning for young pilots who died in KwaZulu-Natal

TRAGIC ACCIDENTS

- TASCHICA PILLAY

A SOMBRE cloud hangs over the aviation community after two young pilots lost their lives in separate aircraft crashes in KwaZulu-Natal this week, prompting tributes, official investigations and urgent efforts to repatriate one of the victims to India.

Martin Brown, 33, a businessman and director of the Secunda-based marketing firm Digi Mag, and 25-year-old Mayank, whose first name is unknown, an Indian national from Delhi, both died on Wednesday after their aircrafts went missing in poor weather conditions.

It is believed the two planes had departed in loose formation from Secunda Airport in Mpumalanga, heading to Margate on the KZN South Coast, when they encountered difficulties.

Search teams from the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) located the wreckage near Nottingham Road and atop a mountain near Boston the following day.

The Accidents and Incidents Investigations Division has confirmed that a team was onsite to collect evidence, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days.

Brown, 33, was the director of Digi Mag, specialists in marketing, printing, signs and banners.

His brother, Wiehan, said the tragic accident has shocked the family.

“Martin loved flying as a hobby. On that day, he was flying to Margate airport to fetch colleagues. He would hire aircrafts if he needed to fetch people or if he wanted to go away on weekends. He was a licensed pilot. He first had his helicopter licence and then got his fix-wing licence. He was an outgoing, people-loving person," said Wiehan.

Brown’s funeral will take place in Secunda on Friday.