Massive search for missing pilot

THE family of a Newcastle pilot who went missing while flying to St Lucia remains hopeful he will be found.

There was still no sign of Johan Fourie, 61, and his Foxbat aircraft yesterday afternoon after three days of searching by land, sea and air.

A spokesperson for the Fourie family, Hennie Coertzen, said his friend flew out on Wednesday morning, but never landed in the northern KZN coastal town as scheduled.

Fourie is a professional mine surveyor who sometimes took aerial photographs.

“We don’t know if he went for photography,” said Coertzen.

Fourie was flying his own light aircraft as he had done for several years.

“We only realised something may be wrong on Wednesday evening when he did not come back.”

His wife Charmaine was also unable to get hold of him. It was then that the alarm was raised and a search ensued on Thursday morning.

Aeronautical Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC) chief Santjie White said the search was initially concentrated in the Indian Ocean, off the coast at Mabibi, just north of Sodwana Bay as that is where the aircraft signal was last picked up at about midday.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre activated a police search and rescue, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and others. Taking into account sea drift currents, the search was extended southward as far as East London.

The NSRI’s Craig Lambinon said they were called in and searched up to 5 nautical miles off-shore between Richards Bay and St Lucia to no avail on Thursday.

“NSRI rescue stations between St Lucia and East London have been requested by ARCC to keep a vigil and as a precautionary measure to extend the vigil along the coastline to also include as far as both our NSRI stations in Port Alfred and Port Elizabeth,” he said.

Brigadier-General Mafi Mgobhozi said a helicopter went out to assist from the air force base in Hoedspruit, Limpopo. Their search yielded no results and was withdrawn once the police helicopter had refuelled and could continue the air search.

“A signal was sent to all ships around the areas to look out for any debris,” said Mgobhozi.

Police said Isimangaliso Wetland Park was also roped in to do shoreline searches.

It was an anxious wait for Fourie’s wife.

“She is very emotional at this stage… it’s a really difficult time as we wait for the news. We appreciate everyone who has been helping and we are hopeful he will be found. We just need closure,” said Coertzen.

Johan Pieters, one of the organisers of the Newcastle Air Show, said the aviation community in the area was in shock and saddened by Fourie’s disappearance. He said their thoughts and prayers were with his family.

A recreational pilot who knew Fourie said he was active in the aviation community and was knowledgeable about planes.

“A very straightforward, down-to-earth and practical person.”