Sunbathers are killed as plane lands on beach
A GIRL of eight was run over and killed in front of her parents by a plane making an emergency landing on a packed beach.
A man aged 56 also died in the horror yesterday on the coast 20 miles south of Portugal’s capital Lisbon.
Hundreds of sunbathers had scattered in panic as the plane wobbled and skimmed low over the sand.
After it juddered to a halt the enraged crowd almost turned on the pilot.
A witness, known only as Mafalda, said: “Those first moments were very tense. People wanted to attack the pilot and began to shout he’s a killer.” Police rushed to scene and managed to control the situation. A flying instructor and his pupil on board the plane were led away for questioning.
The aircraft, a Cessna, appeared to be in difficulty, with a partly broken left wing.
The dead girl was with her parents, both unhurt, witnesses said.
Enrique Pinto Coelho was playing on the beach with his son near the spot where the plane came down.
He told TV channel SIC: “It came down and advanced around 100 metres in the wet sand, taking two people lying on the beach with it. We were very near the landing spot and were playing football. It passed over the football pitch and we had to move back to avoid being hit. A large group surrounded the plane immediately. One of its wings was broken.”
Lisbon Police chief Paulo Isabel said it was too early to speculate on the causes of the crash.
She added: “Given the fact this plane came down on a beach with hundreds of people on it at the height of summer, we could have been looking at many deaths and many injuries.” The unnamed 56-year-old pilot was described by his flight school as “very experienced”. SIC reported he had made a Mayday call before signalling he had to land because of engine failure.
He is thought to have told investigators he did not have time to ditch in the sea. The pilot was released after questioning last night along with his pupil pending an ongoing investigation.
The Cessna is said to have come from an air club in the Lisbon neighbourhood of Torres Vedras. It was built in 1978 and has a cruising speed of around 90mph.
Investigators are believed to be probing possible mechanical failure.
The victims are not thought to be related.