Five Bodies Found In Plane Wreck
Illawarra Mercury
Wednesday June 7, 2000
Five bodies were recovered from the wreck of a Whyalla Airlines plane yesterday as mystery intensified about the cause of the crash that killed eight people.
Police divers recovered the five as yet unidentified bodies from the wreck of a Piper Chieftain that crashed into Spencer Gulf last Wednesday.
Seven bodies have now been recovered, but hopes of finding all the missing bodies yesterday were dashed when divers discovered there were only five bodies aboard the plane wreckage.
Police will today search by land, sea and air for the one body still missing, search coordinator Chief Inspector Terry Harbour said yesterday.
``The prime objective was to search the aircraft and see how many people were still in the aircraft," he said.
``We have done that now and only five people were still in that aircraft. They have been recovered and are on their way back to Whyalla.
``First thing tomorrow morning we will be organising further searches by sea, land and air, and in the mangrove area on both sides of the gulf."
Chief Inspector Harbour described the wreckage as being in ``reasonable condition" despite its crash.
One wing was missing but the fuselage was intact, adding to the mystery of why the aircraft ditched into the gulf after its 21-year-old pilot reported twin engine failure.
Whyalla Airlines has seven Piper Chieftains and the aircraft and airline were yesterday given a cautionary clearance by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
CASA's annual audit of Whyalla Airlines revealed no reason to immediately suspend its operations, an authority spokesman said yesterday.
But the airline may still be asked to address safety concerns as a result of the audit, which will be delivered to CASA management within 48 hours.
Whyalla Airlines managing director Chris Brougham said the airline would not resume flights until next week, out of respect for those grieving the loss of relatives and friends. He said it was a relief to have the wreck found, hoping it would help the grieving process of relatives of the victims.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation is continuing into the crash cause but police were uncertain whether the wreckage could be recovered from the ocean floor.
A funeral service for two victims whose bodies were recovered within hours of the crash, Eyre Peninsula farmer Peter Olsen, 48, and his wife Wendy, 45, will be held in Cleve tomorrow.
A public memorial service has been scheduled for the Whyalla foreshore on Sunday.
© 2000 Illawarra Mercury
