Young mum was passenger in missing plane

The passenger of a vintage plane feared to have crashed near South Stradbroke Island was a mother enjoying a birthday flight with a friend, police have revealed. SEE VIDEO OF THE SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION

THE passenger of a vintage plane feared to have crashed near South Stradbroke Island was a young mother enjoying a birthday flight with a friend, police have revealed.

The 31-year-old, who lives on the Gold Coast, went missing yesterday after the light plane she was travelling in disappeared.

Police said the flight had been an early birthday present for the woman, whose birthday is today.

She has an 11-year-old daughter.

The 52-year-old male pilot – a Dutch national – is also missing after the plane failed to return from its 30 minute joy flight.

Jetskis involved in the search and rescue mission this morning. Picture: 7News

A police spokesman said they are in talks with the woman’s family but were yet to make contact with the man’s family, who are believed to be overseas.

A large part of the body of the missing Yak-52 has been found, with officials continuing with a large-scale air and sea search.

The plane disappeared off South Stradbroke island about 10am Wednesday. It had taken off from the Southport Flying Club for what was supposed to be a 30-minute scenic flight.

The aircraft, which had two people on board, was not reported missing until early Wednesday afternoon and debris was located off South Stradbroke about 5.30pm. The search resumed at first light this morning.

A Yak52, the same model at the one missing off Stradbroke Island. Picture: Alex Coppel.

SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: GET FULL DIGITAL ACCESS + JABRA WIRELESS HEADPHONES

The latest piece of debris, part of the fuselage, was found washed up on the northern end of South Stradbroke this morning.

Part of the propeller was located last night.

Water Police Search and Rescue Coordinator Senior Sergeant Jay Notaro said conditions were “hampering” search efforts this morning.

He said rescuers were canvassing “a large search area”.

“(The) search is ongoing, many aerial and sea assets have been deployed,” he said.

“There is still hope and we are actively looking.”

In pictures: Huge search off Coast

VIEW GALLERY

MORE NEWS

Fears someone will die at notorious Coast intersection

When closed gym will reopen to public

The Coast suburb that wants more people

Police sources have told the Bulletin they are investigating whether the aircraft went down at the split between North and South Stradbroke islands near Jumpinpin Bar.

Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the plane over the Coast between 10am and 11am yesterday morning.

However they have urged members of the public not to touch any debris that they find.

The vintage plane is the same type as the one that plunged into the ocean in the same area 11 years ago, killing the pilot and passenger.

VMR Southport rescue boat at the Spit Wall, Main Beach. Picture: Jerad Williams

Experienced pilot Barry Hempel and his passenger, Ian Lovell, died when the Soviet-made Yak-52 they were flying in crashed into the ocean off South Stradbroke Island in August 2008.

A coronial inquest found Mr Hempel had a history of flouting flying regulations as well as a history of seizures and was not authorised to fly paying passengers.

But Kim Rolph-Smith, of Brisbane joy flight company Warbird Aviation, said the Yak-52 was an “extremely well-built and reliable” aircraft with several located in southeast Queensland.

“They’re an excellent aeroplane — we’ve operated about for or five of them over the years,” he said.

“I don’t know of any history of structural failures with these aircraft.”

Search and Rescue Coordinator Senior Sergeant Jay Notaro holds a press conference at Water Police Headquarters at Main Beach this morning. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Mr Rolph-Smith said flying conditions on Wednesday were ideal and finding a fisherman or beachcomber on South Stradbroke Island who may have seen the plane would be key to solving the mystery.

Mr Rolph-Smith, a former president of Warbirds Australia, said it was “alarming’’ that the plane involved in the suspected crash was not reported missing earlier.

“The length of time it took is quite ridiculous,” he said.