Photo: depot photos
Two people on board a light aircraft died after the plane crashed into a lake between the Noordoostpolder and Overijssel.
The two-seater plane, used by the airline Transavia to train its pilots, crashed around 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday. Omroep Flevoland said the plane is owned by Lelystad-based flight school Zelf Vliegen (“Fly Yourself”).
A Flevoland Fire Department spokesman said the occupants did not survive the crash and a recovery operation was underway.
An air ambulance, a coastguard helicopter, a coastguard plane and boats from Urk and Elburg also responded to the emergency call.
A boat with a crane on board was deployed to recover the wreckage of the plane and the bodies of the victims.
Ronald van den Brink of the Flevoland Fire Service said: “The plane has been found, but the location makes it difficult for us to deal with the incident.”
Radar tracking images showed the plane took off from Lelystad on Tuesday morning heading northeast, but veered off course after passing Hasselt and descended towards the lake.
Rescue team member Klaas Post said engine problems were the likely cause of the accident. A farmer who lives near the Zwarte Meer crash site said he heard “a few bangs” and then saw the plane hit the water.
So far, part of the aircraft’s tailpiece has been recovered. The depth of the crash site is no more than a meter, Post said, which he said made it likely the plane broke up on impact.
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