New details in missing plane mystery
Tasmania Police Inspector Nick Clark, speaking on Sunday afternoon, said the pilot was a 70-year-old man and his passenger was a female in her 60s.
The pair were a couple and on their way to visit family in NSW, he said, when their plane disappeared while crossing the Bass Strait.
'At this stage, there are significant air resources and a significant number of boats on the water searching for the missing plane, as well as beach and land searches being conducted in northern Tasmania,' Inspector Clark said.
The desperate search was launched after family members raised the alarm when the couple did not arrive at their destination. A desperate search is underway now for the missing plane. Tasmania Police Credit: Supplied
The plane – a two-seater – left George Town airport at 12.45pm on Saturday, setting off for Victoria and then on to Central NSW.
Inspector Clark said there was no radio contact or distress call prior to the plane's disappearance.
He said the pilot was 'very experienced' but was flying a plane that was 'relatively new' to him.
'(He was) heavily involved in aero club here in George Town,' Inspector Clark said.
'If you find some people in the water and it is safe to do so, please render some assistance.'
A multi-agency operation led by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority is now underway, with planes, helicopters and boats searching for the missing pair. An urgent search is underway in the Bass Strait after a light plane carrying two Tasmanians went missing. Supplied Credit: Supplied Several boats are patrolling the Bass Strait, off northern Tasmania, as the search continues for a missing light plane. Tasmania Police Credit: Supplied
A spokesman for AMSA said the alarm was sounded early on Saturday evening.
'Just after 5pm on Saturday evening, concern was raised after the aircraft failed to land in Central Western NSW,' the spokesman said.
'AMSA has tasked a Tasmania Police helicopter (POLAIR 72) to conduct aerial search efforts around Georgetown, and adjacent parts of northern Tasmania.
A rescue jet is also scouting the Bass Strait from the air.
'Search efforts are expected to continue throughout Sunday,' the spokesman said.
Tasmanian and Victorian police are assisting with the search. The Spirit of Tasmania was reportedly diverted to assist the search. NewsWire / Sarah Matray Credit: News Corp Australia
'A search for a missing light plane with two people on board has resumed in Bass Strait this morning,' Tasmania Police said in a statement.
'The plane did not reach its destination as scheduled and authorities were notified by concerned family members that it was overdue.
'As a result, a search operation involving plane, helicopter and marine resources was activated last night.'
Tasmania Police advised that residents in the north of the state would see 'ongoing aerial search activities'.
The ABC reported that the Spirit of Tasmania was diverted to help with the search, but was later let go to continue its journey.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
4 hours ago
- ABC News
Bass Coast locals camping in the bush due to high rents and scarce social housing
Former nurse Veronica has lived in public housing at Wonthaggi on Victoria's Bass Coast for the past eight years. It is a picturesque part of the state, where rental properties are almost impossible to find. Veronica, whose surname has been withheld to protect her privacy, lives in public housing in the region. She said she was lucky, as more than 500 people in Bass Coast were waiting for some form of public or social housing. Veronica is not shy about telling people where she lives. It is part of her own effort to dismantle stigma around public housing and to call for improved funding for the sector. Veronica said security of tenure was a basic right that should be afforded to all people. "It really is a beautiful concept, that nobody is denied a place to live," she said. "People say to me, 'Why should we pay? Why should this be public housing? Why should we pay for these people?' "One day, you never know your circumstances … people who live in public housing are human beings, and they have a right to be accepted. "They're good people, you know." There are 388 social housing dwellings in Bass Coast, according to the Bass Coast Shire Council. According to the Victorian government, social housing is made up of public housing and community housing. A Victorian Housing Peaks Alliance report shows the Bass Coast local government area needs close to 2,500 social housing properties by 2051 to meet growing demand in the area. Data from the Victorian Housing Register shows there are 535 applications for social housing in Wonthaggi, accounting for about 10 per cent of the town's 5,000-strong population. Applications for public housing in other Gippsland areas, such as Morwell and Traralgon, are also strong. About 6.24 per cent of Traralgon's 26,907 population has their name down for some form of social or public housing. A winter shelter providing meals and accommodation on Phillip Island was due to open in early June, but was delayed until late July. Twelve one-bedroom units in Wonthaggi will provide supported mental health care when construction is complete. Founder of Housing Matters advocacy group Jessica Harrison said she had heard stories of people doubling their cooking to provide warm meals to people sleeping rough in the area, while others had resorted to camping in nearby bushland to avoid spending the majority of their pay on rent. Ms Harrison said "chronic underfunding" meant the region was unable to cope with the increasing number of people experiencing homelessness. Carol Maygar is a Wonthaggi-based volunteer spearheading the Owl Ute Pantry, a resource for people to stock up on food and basic necessities. Ms Maygar said she had noted an uptick in people coming to collect food from the pantry in recent months. "We don't ask [why], we only ask if people want a bag. You don't know what someone's situation is," she said. The number of people accessing homelessness services in Australia each month has increased by 10 per cent since May 2022. Homelessness Australia chief executive Kate Colvin said the problem just kept getting worse. "If I just look at one region, like Gippsland, we have had rents go up by 7 per cent a year for the last seven years," she said. Ms Colvin said the longer people were stuck in homelessness, the more it negatively impacted their lives. "People who are homeless have a much higher risk of early death … often suicide is the leading cause of early death for people who are rough sleeping," she said. "People just end up in despair for their future, and we see the awful consequences of that." Ms Colvin said turning the tide would require sustained investment in social housing, stronger income support, and more frontline homelessness services — especially in regional areas where support could be thinly spread. "Right now, homelessness services are turning away 72,000 people a year, just not able to provide support to them, and a further 48,000 people, we've estimated, not even getting through the door [to seek help]," she said. "What we're seeing across the country is local government responding to spikes in rough sleeping with punitive responses and moving people on. In a background statement provided to the ABC, the office of Housing Minister Harriet Shing said further funded projects would be announced in the future. A state government spokesperson said the government had invested more than $19 million in the Bass Coast to build 37 homes. Only 11 have been completed, with further projects to be announced. A Bass Coast Shire Council spokesperson said the council adopted an affordable housing strategy in 2023, and it would continue to advocate for more social and affordable housing for the region.
Canberra Times
2 days ago
- Canberra Times
Missing light plane couple revealed as search hampered
"Significant resources have been utilised in the search and Pol Air will continue to be used over the next two days, at which time the search efforts will be re-assessed based on any possible new information that becomes available," Inspector Clark said.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Couple missing after plane vanished named
A Tasmanian couple who are missing after their light plane took off from the state's north coast then failed to arrive at their destination three days ago have been identified. Gregory Vaughan, 72, his partner Kim Worner, 66, and their dog Molly, have not been seen or heard from since their green Bristell S-LSA aircraft took off from George Town airport about 12.45pm on Saturday. The plane was scheduled to arrive in central NSW later that day but never landed, prompting family and friends to raise the alarm. The plane is a two-seater Bristell S-LSA in distinctive green colour and has not been seen since it took off from George Town airport in Tasmania. Credit: Supplied Tasmanian Police inspector Nick Clark said the missing couple had not been in contact with anyone or aviation authorities since they left George Town. A police helicopter search of Tasmania's north coastline between George Town and Turners Beach on Tuesday failed to locate any sighting of the plane. Inclement weather and low cloud has complicated search conditions, while boats did not go out on the water due to the rough conditions. Missing couple Gregory Vaughan, 72, his partner Kim Worner, 66, and their dog Molly, were in a light sport aircraft. Credit: Supplied Inspector Clark said police would continue searching on Wednesday. 'Significant resources have been used in the search and Pol Air will continue to be used over the next two days, at which time the search efforts will be reassessed based on any possible new information that becomes available,' he said. 'The longer Gregory and Kim are missing the greater the concerns are for their welfare. 'If anyone has information that could assist the search, has seen a plane matching this description, or noticed anything such as unusual debris on land or in the water, they should contact Tasmania Police.'
