Heartbreaking task to recover bodies of Rhiley Kuhrt and wife Maree

Authorities have released tragic new details in the ongoing bid to recover the bodies of a Queensland couple killed in a light plane crash near Proserpine.

• ‘Shattered’: Families break their silence

The heartbreaking process of recovering the bodies of a rural couple tragically killed in a light plane crash west of Proserpine is expected to be “protracted” and “challenging”.

Rhiley Kuhrt, the 22-year-old son of a Mackay senior sergeant, and his pregnant wife Maree, 24, died when their plane crashed halfway up Mount Hector Range during a storm on Sunday afternoon.

The couple had flown from Natal Downs Station, near Charters Towers, in a Piper Cherokee they had only bought about five months ago en route to Lakeside Airpark at Bloomsbury but never arrived.

Townsville’s QGAir Rescue found the wreckage during a large scale search on Monday morning.

A specialist police unit arrived in the Whitsundays on Tuesday and were flown to the remote site via the Townsville-based chopper and winched down into the dense bushland.

Maree and Rhiley Kuhrt, the son of a local police officer, were killed when the Piper Cherokee aircraft they were in crashed. Photo Supplied Facebook

Mackay Inspector Andrew Godbold said the Disaster Victim Identification squad were hoping to finalise their investigation by Wednesday.

He said the recovery of the couple would begin on Wednesday.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is investigating the crash, was also continuing to gather evidence into what caused the collision.

ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said investigators were collecting information on “the pilot’s flying experience and qualifications, the weather at the time of the accident, flight planning information, aircraft maintenance records, and any available recorded data”.

“In addition, considerable site access challenges due to the nature of the terrain will inform the extent of ATSB on-site evidence gathering activities,” Chief Commissioner Mitchell said.

“The ATSB extends its condolences to the families and friends who lost loved ones in this tragic accident.”

Mr Kuhrt is head stockman and pilot at Nerrigundah station – Photo Supplied

A Police spokeswoman said: “The recovery operation will be protracted with weather and terrain proving challenging”.

“Queensland Police Service and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the incident and police will prepare a report for the coroner in relation to the matter,” she said.

“To respect the privacy of the deceased and their bereaved families, no further updates on the retrieval will be provided.”

‘ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN’

The Mackay Mayor has labelled the plane crash that claimed the lives of a married couple and their unborn child an “accident waiting to happen”, saying a shake-up was needed to avoid similar tragedies.

Mayor Greg Williamson has called for more exposure to training, particularly for rural aviators, following the deaths of Rhiley Kuhrt, the 22-year-old son of a local police officer, and his pregnant wife Maree, 24.

Mr Williamson said the grief caused by the loss of the loved couple was “unthinkable”.

“There’s so many people hurting over this and reacting to this tragedy, it’s terrible,” Mr Williamson said.

The couple were flying to Lakeside Airpark at Bloomsbury on Sunday afternoon in inclement weather, which Mr Williamson, who had held his pilot licence since he was 17, believed would be at the heart of the crash.

A rescue chopper involved in the search found the wreckage halfway up Mount Hector Range on Monday morning.

“When you look at this tragedy, the things that would strike me (are) there was a big weather overlay here, it was towards the end of the day, he was flying into an uncontrolled airport, and in an aeroplane he’s only had for five months,” Mr Williamson said.

Rhiley and Maree Kuhrt became engaged in June 2021. Picture: Facebook / Maree Kuhrt

“And if you haven’t got an instrument rating … that makes general aviation flying very, very challenging.

“There’s all those hallmarks of … an accident waiting to happen.”

Mr William said it showed a need for “continuum training”.

“Unfortunately there’s not a lot of training opportunities left in regional Queensland; in regional Australia probably for that matter,” he said.

“Then when you have the overlay of the increasing complexity of the controlled environment (such as major airports).

“Rural pilots like this young bloke, they just don’t want to fly into a controlled zone where they just don’t have much experience … so they’ll fly to other areas that are uncontrolled.

“When you’re flying into an uncontrolled airport and flying outside a controlled airspace then you’re on your own. It’s very difficult.”

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson. Picture: Rae Wilson

Mr Williamson said there had been a lot of changes in the controlled airspace in Mackay over the past eight months.

“There’s all this education that’s got to go on, that hasn’t happened so far,” he said.

“That can only be done by having competent trainers in the area and unfortunately they’re few and far between.”

Mr Williamson said there was a need to increase training exposure for all general aviators, and particularly rural aviators.

“We have stacks of small towns and small communities to the west of us who don’t have a regular service, and if it wasn’t for general aviation they’d be cut off completely in terms of fast face-to-face travel,” he said.

‘NOT AN EASY JOB’: RECOVERY EFFORT

A specialist police recovery unit will have to be winched to the site of plane crash that claimed the lives of a married couple west of Proserpine.

The bodies of Rhiley Kuhrt, the 22-year-old son of a Mackay district senior sergeant, and his pregnant wife Maree, 24, were discovered Monday morning after their plane – a green and white Piper Cherokee – went missing on Sunday afternoon.

The couple had been travelling from Natal Downs Station, near Charters Towers, en route to Lakeside Airpark at Bloomsbury when it encountered difficulties during a storm and crashed halfway up Mount Hector Range.

Family had been waiting to pick up the couple, who were due to arrive at 5pm Sunday but they never arrived and was reported overdue at 6.30pm prompting a large scale search.

A QGAir helicopter will be assisting with the recovery operation. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Townsville-based QG Air Rescue helicopter found the wreckage among the mountainside on Monday and afterwards police with the help of SES volunteers were scouring the densely packed area for a route onland to the site.

Mackay District Inspector Andrew Godbold said on Tuesday the Disaster Victim Identification Unit would arrive in the Whitsundays to co-ordinate the recovery of Mr and Mrs Kuhrt with the assistance of GQ Air.

“We’ll be winching down to do some investigation and extraction,” Inspector Godbold said.

“We can’t actually walk in, it’s too dense.”

The unit will touch down from Brisbane later this morning.

“It’s not an easy job for all the police helping out the investigation especially as some of the police know the family involved,” Inspector Godbold said.

SAFETY BODY TO PROBE DISASTER

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has also deployed a team from its Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane offices to begin the evidence collection phase of the investigation.

ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said the team had “experience in aircraft operations, maintenance and engineering, and human factors”.

“ATSB investigators will survey the accident site and collect any relevant components for further examination and analysis. They will also obtain and review any recorded data, weather information, witness reports, and aircraft operator procedures and maintenance records,” Chief Commissioner Mitchell said.

The preliminary report is expected to be published in six to eight weeks.

Rhiley Kuhrt was a student at the Darling Downs Aero Club.

Inspector Godbold said Mr Kuhrt had some experience flying and have travelled that particular route previously.

On Monday, the Darling Downs Aero Club posted a tribute to Mr Kuhrt, one of its former students, and his wife.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our former students in an aircraft accident that occurred in North Queensland,” the social media post read.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Rhiley Kuhrt and his wife Maree.

“It was a pleasure knowing him and his presence at the club will be missed. Wishing you blue skies and tailwinds Rhiley.”