Drones locate wreckage

Small plane probably crashed – search underway

250 emergency services were deployed.(Bild: BFK WT / St. Mayer)

On Sunday afternoon, a small plane crashed in the Waldviertel (Lower Austria). The pilot (83) was killed. Drones had previously located the wreckage from the air. The accident site could only be reached on foot.

According to the fire department, a plane crashed on Sunday afternoon at around 3.30 p.m. on the Predigtstuhl near Groß-Siegharts in the district of Waidhofen an der Thaya in the Waldviertel. This was also confirmed by Austro Control and the airfield. The 83-year-old pilot died in the crash. An eyewitness had reported the crash. 

Only the pilot was on board the small aircraft. The plane had been traveling from Krems to Dobersberg. "I noticed the plane while walking the dog, it was terribly loud and I said to myself: 'I hope it doesn't crash'," said an earwitness.

The area is densely wooded and the search is correspondingly challenging. Because it is almost impassable for vehicles, it is being combed by a human chain.

Klaus Stebal, Sprecher des Landesfeuerwehrverbands

More than 250 emergency services had previously been involved in a large-scale search operation. In addition to fog and darkness, the size and impassability of the possible crash area also made the work difficult. At around 6.30 p.m., the crash site was located from the air by a drone. However, it could only be reached on foot. On Sunday evening, the pilot could only be recovered dead in the steep terrain.