The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation and plans to deploy a team to map the site, examine wreckage, and collect data, including air traffic control logs, weather information, and flight records.
Sydney, Australia – Three people have died following a tragic midair collision between two light planes over the southwest outskirts of Sydney, Australia. Emergency services responded swiftly to the crash, which officials have described as “unsurvivable.”
The incident occurred around 11:50 a.m. local time on Saturday near Belimbla Park, close to Oakdale, according to NSW Police Acting Superintendent Timothy Calman. The collision involved two small aircraft flying through uncontrolled airspace.
First responders located a Cessna 182 that had burst into flames upon impact with the ground. The aircraft, believed to be traveling from Cessnock to Wollongong, carried two passengers whose identities have not been confirmed. About a kilometer away, emergency teams discovered a second plane, a Jabiru carrying a single male occupant, who was also pronounced dead at the scene.
“Damage at the scene would indicate the first aircraft has come straight down,” Superintendent Calman said, adding that witnesses reported seeing debris falling from the sky.
The area around the crash sites has been cordoned off, with ambulance and fire crews on the scene. “Nothing could be done,” said NSW Ambulance Inspector Joseph Ibrahim, who noted that a helicopter and 10 ambulance resources were dispatched to the site. “The nature of the injuries were unsurvivable.”
The affected area, surrounded by bushland and home to two local flying schools—Sydney Recreational Flying Club and Dave’s Flying School—is popular among recreational and trainee pilots, according to local councillor Suzy Brandstater of Wollondilly Shire. “It’s horrific,” she said. “I feel for community members who saw it. It’s something you’re never going to forget.”
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation and plans to deploy a team to map the site, examine wreckage, and collect data, including air traffic control logs, weather information, and flight records.
Authorities are urging the public to stay clear of the area as forensics and rescue personnel complete their work, and they encourage anyone with footage or witness accounts to come forward.
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