Lost plane: Passenger Trista Applebee still missing, pilot Marcel van Hattem found in wreckage

When Trista Applebee boarded a scenic flight at Southport Flying Club, she was only meant to be gone for 30 minutes. Two days later rescue crews are still looking for her, while the body of the plane’s pilot has been found in its wreckage.

WHEN Trista Applebee boarded a plane at the Southport Flying Club in Coombabah on Wednesday morning, it was expected she would be gone for half an hour.

Instead, rescue crews are continuing to search for the 31-year-old. The body of the plane’s owner Marcel van Hattem, 52, was found yesterday afternoon in wreckage pulled from the bottom of the ocean off the coast of South Stradbroke Island.

Ms Applebee’s partner waited at the Southport Flying Club as the young mother of an 11-year-old girl and Mr van Hattem took off in the two seater about 10am.

The scenic flight was due back at 10.30am. Ms Applebee’s friend waited until about 1pm when he was approached and asked by a member of the flying club if he was OK.

“He said he was waiting for his girlfriend who had been on a flight that took off at 10am and was only supposed to go for half an hour,” said Southport Flying Club aerodrome manager Steve Rance.

“That’s when one of our members raised the alarm and we contacted Airservices (Australia)”.

The scenic flight was an early birthday present for Trista Applebee.

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By 2pm Surf Life Saving Queensland were called to assist. The Westpac Life Saver Rescue helicopter was put in the air and a number of jet skis searched on water.

Police were notified at 2.30pm and joined the search. By 5.30pm they had found part of the plane’s propeller near Jumpinpin at the top of South Stradbroke Island.

More debris was uncovered throughout yesterday morning, police locating a part of the fuselage on the beach and other parts floating in the ocean.

Mr Rance said Mr van Hattem was a well-respected member of the club and as is general practice, made a radio call to the airfield shortly before taking off.

“He just said he was going to go to Jumpinpin for some aerobatic work,” Mr Rance said.

Marcel van Hattem was a respected member of Southport Flying Club.

Mr van Hattem had only started a new business, Top Notch Blasting, on April 22, working as a sandblaster from Brisbane through to northern New South Wales.

Scott Menzies, a committee member of Southport Flying Club and founder and chief pilot at Gold Coast Helitours, said he was involved in the desperate search for his mate.

“I know the pilot quite well and that’s why I was alerted first. As soon as I knew, I was up in the air to be part of the search,” he said.

“He was certainly a very well-liked member of the Southport Flying Club, He was a real character.

“It’s sad for all of the members of the Southport Flying Club. He was a great bloke. Our condolences go out to the family.”

In pictures: Huge search off Coast

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It could be months until the exact circumstances behind the crash become apparent, with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) now launching its investigation into the accident.

“The ATSB has launched an investigation into Wednesday’s collision with water involving a Yakovlev Yak-52, registered VH-PAE, near South Stradbroke Island, Queensland,” an ATSB spokesman said.

“As part of its investigation the ATSB is deploying three transport safety investigators to begin inspecting recovered aircraft wreckage.

“ATSB investigators will also interview involved parties and collect other relevant evidence and information.

“A report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation.

“However, should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties so appropriate action can be taken.”

Search crews are continuing to look for Trista Applebee.

Search and Rescue Coordinator Senior-Sergeant Jay Notaro yesterday said: “There’s been no contact or confirmed sighting of the plane since that time (takeoff).

“(The search) is a collaborative effort between the Queensland water police, police divers, polair, Surf Life Saving Queensland, volunteer marine rescue groups, South Stradbroke Island park ranger and the joint rescue co-ordination centre in Canberra.

“We have located debris at different locations, it is quite a large search area, which actually spans the whole South Stradbroke Island and up to north.”

Marcel van Hattem had recently started a new business.

Sen-Sgt Notaro said the gap between when police were involved in the search and when the plane was reported missing will form part of the investigation by the ATSB.

Police are asking for any witnesses who may have seen the plane on Wednesday to come forward and also if anyone finds anything they may suspect is debris, to not touch it and call police.