Missing Gold Coast plane sparks search and rescue at South Stradbroke Island

Part of propeller believed to have come from a missing light plane has been found at South Stradbroke Island as a search and rescue operation continues.

A VMR Southport rescue boat at the Spit Wall, Main Beach believed to be heading out to South Stradbroke Island. Picture: Jerad Williams

AN overdue plane that failed to return from a 30-minute scenic flight has sparked a major search and rescue mission at South Stradbroke Island.

Today the Soviet-era Yak-52 aircraft, with two people on board, was reported missing after flying over South Stradbroke Island earlier in the day.

Police sources confirmed a piece of the propeller from the missing Yak-52 was located on the beach of South Stradbroke Island.

Water Police and VMR Southport rescue boats on their way to the incident. Picture: Jerad Williams

It’s understood the plane took off from the Southport Flying Club at Coombabah at 10am with a pilot and a passenger, believed to be a tourist, on-board. The flight was due to return about 10.30am, but failed to make its way back.

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The Bulletin has learnt police are in talks with the family members of those on-board.

A police source confirmed last night that a piece of the Yak-52’s propeller was found on the beach of South Stradbroke Island, although they said no other wreckage had been found.

A Yak52 plane. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Several police sources were left wondering why they weren’t informed of the missing plane until five hours after it was due to land at the Coombabah airstrip.

At 1.15pm the Australian Maritime Safety Authority were alerted, then at 2pm the Westpac Surf Lifesaving Queensland helicopter was tasked to search for the missing aircraft.

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It would be another hour and a half before police were informed and would become involved in the search, launching a major operation.

By then, the helicopter was re-tasked for a period of time to help rescue four people whose boat had capsized outside of the Seaway. One man needed to be winched to safety before the helicopter returned to the missing plane search.

AMSA confirmed that “the aircraft is a Yak-52, a Soviet-era training aircraft often used for aerobatics and scenic flights.

“There has been no contact with the missing aircraft and AMSA is currently sourcing aerial assets to conduct a search along the aircraft’s most likely route.”

Gold Coast water police continued to search late into the night.

Aerodrome manager Steve Rance of the Southport Flying Club, where the plane took off from, said he was aware of the situation but did not have any information.

Mr Rance said all of the members of the club were private pilots, meaning the flight was not a commercial venture.

If needed, the helicopter would return to the search party at daybreak, a spokesperson for Surf Lifesaving Queensland said.