Latest news with #GregoryVaughan
ABC News
3 days ago
- General
- ABC News
It has been a week since Gregory Vaughan, Kim Worner and their dog disappeared in a light plane
It was a mild day on the northern Tasmanian coast when a couple and their dog climbed into a small green aeroplane and flew away. But alarms sounded when pilot Gregory Vaughan, 72, his partner, Kim Worner, 66, and their dog, Molly, failed to arrive at their destination in central New South Wales four hours later. Despite an extensive search across Bass Strait and nearby islands, there has been no trace of the missing trio or their plane since the Saturday flight a week ago. It has left many questioning how, in 2025, an aircraft and its occupants can simply disappear. Last Saturday at 12:45pm, Mr Vaughan and Ms Worner departed from George Town airport, about an hour north of their home in Deloraine, in a two-seater Bristell S-LSA plane purchased a few months earlier. They were due to make a fuel stop in regional Victoria, before continuing to Hillston in New South Wales, west of Condobolin. George Town Airport Association president David Brewster said Mr Vaughan had been planning the journey for some time and texted a friend before leaving, telling him he was all set to go. But Mr Brewster said the friend sensed trouble when Mr Vaughan's departure time came and went without a departure call being heard on the radio. Mr Brewster said he and the friend contacted Airservices Australia at about 1:15pm, after noting the plane had left the airport. They then prepared their own planes to conduct a search for Mr Vaughan's aircraft. The formal alarm was raised by a family member after 5pm, when the travellers failed to land at Hillston airport. An official aerial and marine search began soon afterwards. Police said Mr Vaughan had not made a distress call and believed there were no active tracking devices on board. Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said the pilot made no contact with authorities during the flight. "The best-case scenario we can only really hope for is they have made land somewhere," Tasmania Police Inspector Nick Clark said on Tuesday. Wynyard Aero Club president David McCarthy said that unless entering controlled airspace, there was no requirement for private or recreational pilots to log their flight plans, make radio calls to air traffic controllers during a flight or have a transponder. In aviation, transponders — a radar-dependent surveillance device — play a vital role in identifying aircraft to air traffic control and other aircraft. "But you should at least notify a responsible person of where you're going and when you're expected back." He said pilots could also nominate a SARTIME (time search action required) with Airservices Australia, which is when search and rescue procedures should be initiated, if the aircraft fails to check in. A Civil Aviation Services Authority (CASA) spokesperson said when flying long distances over water, pilots were required to leave a flight note with a responsible person, or notify authorities through a flight plan or SARTIME. Mr McCarthy said it would be "highly unusual" for an experienced pilot not to make any calls. CASA rules state private or recreational pilots must carry a registered distress beacon when flying more than 50 nautical miles (93 kilometres) from land. Bass Strait at its narrowest point is about 220 nautical miles wide. Recreational Aviation Australia chairman Michael Monck said pilots "should carry life jackets and appropriate sort of safety equipment". Mr Monck confirmed satellite trackers were not required in any type of airspace. He said transponders were only required in some controlled airspaces. Mr McCarthy and Mr Monck fear increased regulation would add to costs and detract from the joy of flying. They said aviation was generally incredibly safe. Mr McCarthy said pilots underwent substantial training. In addition, he said most private pilots performed a flight review with an instructor every two years. "Once I'm in the air, I'm in a much safer environment because of the way that it operates and the way that we're trained." But there would always be a certain level of risk. "The bottom line [is] things can go wrong," he said.
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Friends of missing couple Gregory Vaughan and Kim Worner alerted by lack of radio call before Bass Strait flight
Friends of a missing pilot feared something had gone wrong soon after take-off, and they were so worried they took to the sky to search. Pilot Gregory Vaughan, 72, his partner Kim Worner, 66, along with their dog, Molly, have not been heard from since before they departed George Town Airport, in Tasmania's north, on Saturday afternoon. Travelling in their bright green two-seater Bristell S-LSA, they were destined for central western NSW, with a fuel stop in regional Victoria. When they did not arrive that afternoon, a relative who had their flight note raised the alarm, triggering a multi-day search across northern Tasmania, southern Victoria, and the stretch of water separating them. But friends knew something was up earlier. George Town Airport Association president David Brewster said Mr Vaughan, an experienced pilot, had been planning the trip for some time. Worried that he had not heard a broadcast from George Town Airport, Mr Brewster said the friend went to the airfield expecting to find the plane still there, but it was gone. "I was just at the airport doing some work in my hangar, and he came to me quite concerned that he hadn't heard a departure call, he hadn't heard anything on the radio, 'What's going on?'" Mr Brewster said. Within about half an hour of take-off, the two contacted Airservices Australia to see if the pilot had made contact with Melbourne Centre. "We did eventually get onto the [airport traffic control] guys at Melbourne … there'd been a change of shift or something, and for them to be able to find out whether this particular aircraft had made a call on that frequency would have meant pulling all their tapes, and they weren't prepared to pull their tapes just because I was asking them," he said. "[I was] suggesting, you know, 'it would be nice to know if this guy has made a broadcast', because if he made broadcasts on that frequency, we knew that he had at least gone out that far." Mr Brewster said they were told to contact search and rescue if the plane did not arrive at its destination in time, which they later did. "We then went flying, and we looked over all the land between George Town and the coast, and there was no sign of him … the search got underway after that," he said. Mr Brewster said not broadcasting was out of character for Mr Vaughan. "The aviation environment is one where, when a little thing goes wrong, it can really quickly snowball into something bigger than you can handle." Recreational Aviation Australia chair Michael Monck said modern aircraft were typically fitted with an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) transmitter and a transponder. But no signal appears to have been picked up from Mr Vaughan's plane on flight radar maps. Mr Monck said some kind of aircraft fault could prevent a plane from being detected, but anything could have happened. He said the unknown nature was "troubling". "We make every effort to keep it safe, we pre-fly the aircraft, we plan our flights ahead of time, we have things in place to deal with the unexpected, but we can only plan for those things that we understand." "When there are unknowns that cause incidents like this, that leaves a lot of questions." The ABC contacted Airservices Australia, but it declined to comment, saying it was a "Tasmania Police matter". "It has been consistent to the investigation that the pilot and his passenger made no contact with their family or aviation authorities after take-off," a Tasmania Police spokesperson said. "Tasmania Police has received no advice to indicate the pilot, the passenger, or their light plane had active devices that would assist investigators [to] track their location. Investigators have used extensive resources in the conduct of the search. Inspector Craig Fox said the police helicopter would continue sweeping the northern Tasmanian coastline on Friday, using Australian Maritime Safety Authority drift data. Police vessel Cape Wickham will also be deployed, after days off the water due to choppy conditions and no new leads. "On Thursday, the police helicopter conducted sweeps of the Furneaux Island group, including Flinders Island, Cape Barren Island and Chappell Island, plus other smaller islands," Inspector Fox said. "Unfortunately, there was no sight of the plane or any other factors, such as debris, which may indicate its potential location.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- General
- Economic Times
Police rule out foul play as search for missing Tasmanian plane enters sixth day over Bass Strait
Gregory Vaughan and Kim Worner were last seen on the Tasmanian missing plane on Saturday after take-off from George Town. (Image: Tasmania Police) The search for a missing light plane and its two occupants has entered its sixth day, Tasmania Police said on Thursday, August 7. The aircraft, a bright green Bristell S-LSA, took off from George Town airport at 12:45 pm AEST on Saturday,-August 2 headed for Hillston in central New South Wales, but never arrived. The occupants are Gregory Vaughan, 72, and his partner, Kim Worner, 66, both from Deloraine. Authorities say there has been no contact with the couple or the aircraft since departure. Tasmania Police, with assistance from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, continues the search operation using aerial and marine resources. PolAir will conduct sweeps along the northern coastline, guided by drift modelling data. The statement said that on Thursday, the police helicopter covered areas around Furneaux Islands, including Flinders, Cape Barren, and Chappell Islands. No signs of the plane or debris were found. Marine search vessels, including Cape Wickham, are expected to join the operation. Police noted that marine resources had not been deployed since Tuesday due to poor conditions and the absence of new search leads. Inspector Craig Fox confirmed there is no evidence to suggest anything suspicious about the plane's disappearance. The public has been urged to report any sightings of unusual debris along the northern Tasmanian coast or in the Bass Strait. Anyone with relevant information should contact Tasmania Police on 131 444. Bass Strait is a sea channel that separates mainland Australia (Victoria) from the island state of Tasmania. It spans approximately 240 km wide at its narrowest point and is known for unpredictable weather, strong currents, and challenging flying conditions. The strait contains numerous islands, including the Furneaux Group, which features Flinders Island, Cape Barren Island, and Chappell Island, areas that are currently being searched in the ongoing operation for the missing plane.
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Police rule out foul play as search for missing Tasmanian plane enters sixth day over Bass Strait
Search efforts continue Live Events About Bass Strait (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The search for a missing light plane and its two occupants has entered its sixth day, Tasmania Police said on Thursday, August 7. The aircraft, a bright green Bristell S-LSA, took off from George Town airport at 12:45 pm AEST on Saturday,-August 2 headed for Hillston in central New South Wales, but never occupants are Gregory Vaughan , 72, and his partner, Kim Worner , 66, both from Deloraine. Authorities say there has been no contact with the couple or the aircraft since Police, with assistance from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, continues the search operation using aerial and marine resources. PolAir will conduct sweeps along the northern coastline, guided by drift modelling statement said that on Thursday, the police helicopter covered areas around Furneaux Islands, including Flinders, Cape Barren, and Chappell Islands. No signs of the plane or debris were search vessels, including Cape Wickham, are expected to join the operation. Police noted that marine resources had not been deployed since Tuesday due to poor conditions and the absence of new search Craig Fox confirmed there is no evidence to suggest anything suspicious about the plane's public has been urged to report any sightings of unusual debris along the northern Tasmanian coast or in the Bass Strait . Anyone with relevant information should contact Tasmania Police on 131 Strait is a sea channel that separates mainland Australia (Victoria) from the island state of Tasmania. It spans approximately 240 km wide at its narrowest point and is known for unpredictable weather, strong currents, and challenging flying strait contains numerous islands, including the Furneaux Group, which features Flinders Island , Cape Barren Island, and Chappell Island, areas that are currently being searched in the ongoing operation for the missing plane.
Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Tasmania missing plane occupants identified, vanished light aircraft reignites Bass Strait Triangle mystery known as Australia's Bermuda Triangle
A small aircraft with three occupants has been missing since August 2 after taking off from Tasmania in Australia, sparking a host of conspiracy theories. The plane with two people and their pet dog vanished from the radars and vanished. Now, three days after the aircraft vanished, the Tasmania Police on Tuesday (August 5) formally identified the couple on board the light sport aircraft. According to a Tasmanian Police statement, the missing couple, Gregory Vaughan, 72, and his partner Kim Worner, 66, of Deloraine were last seen departing George Town Airport around 12:45 pm on Saturday(August 2) in a distinctive green two-seater Bristell S-LSA aircraft . Their dog Molly was also aboard. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program 'The two people on the plane have not been in contact with anyone, or aviation authorities, since they left George Town,' Inspector Nick Clark of Tasmania Police confirmed in an official statement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This new air conditioner cools down a room in just seconds News of the Discovery The fate of the small aircraft has drawn disturbing parallels between this case and the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 , one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history. With three days gone and no signs of the plane or its occupants, another mysterious conspiracy theory is emerging. The incident took place in the infamous Bass Strait Triangle, a stretch of ocean known for its unpredictable weather, powerful winds, and poor radar coverage. Long regarded as one of Australia's most treacherous air and sea corridors, the region has earned a reputation for mysterious disappearances, often drawing comparisons to the Bermuda Triangle . Live Events The aircraft never arrived at its scheduled destination in central New South Wales, prompting family members to raise the alarm Saturday evening. The circumstances surrounding the disappearance have only deepened the mystery. Authorities say no distress signal, radio communication, or tracking data was received after takeoff. Despite intensive air and sea search efforts since Saturday night, no wreckage or evidence of the aircraft has yet been found. '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 on 131 444,' Inspector Clark urged. Search crews from Tasmania Police, AMSA, and Victoria Police have been focusing on Tasmania's northern coastline, particularly between George Town and Turners Beach. But conditions have hampered progress. Low clouds and heavy weather on Tuesday grounded most water-based operations. Air searches conducted by PolAir yielded no sightings. 'Significant resources have been utilised in the search, and PolAir will continue to be used over the next two days,' Clark added. 'The longer Gregory and Kim are missing, the greater the concerns are for their welfare.' Vaughan, a retired engineer and experienced hobby pilot, was closely involved with the George Town Aeroclub. Worner, a retired nurse known for her warmth and dedication to community work, shared his love of adventure. Together, they were described by friends as 'inseparable,' often traveling with their beloved dog Molly. The couple had planned to fly to New South Wales via Victoria, with a brief stop in between. According to authorities, Vaughan had only recently acquired the Bristell S-LSA aircraft and was still becoming familiar with its handling. The Bass Strait, stretching roughly 300 kilometers between Tasmania and mainland Australia, has long been associated with sudden weather changes, disorienting crosswinds, and poor radar coverage. Historical cases include: Frederick Valentich (1978): Vanished after radioing reports of a UFO near King Island. Brenda Hean (1972): Lost en route to Canberra in a protest flight. MV Blythe Star (1973): A freighter lost for 12 days, despite being within search range. These incidents have fueled legends of a so-called 'Bass Strait Triangle,' often compared to its Bermuda counterpart, though experts caution that human error and environmental hazards, not the supernatural, are the most likely causes. Authorities have asked residents and travelers across northern Tasmania and southern Victoria to be on alert. Even seemingly unrelated items, such as life vests, broken plastic, or fabric, may help investigators narrow the aircraft's trajectory or fate. The search will intensify over the next 48 hours before authorities decide whether to scale back or pivot operations. If wreckage is located, an official investigation into weather conditions, aircraft condition, and pilot decision-making will follow under the guidance of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). If you have any information or believe you may have seen aircraft debris, wreckage, or suspicious objects in the region, contact Tasmania Police at 131 444 or your local emergency services.
