Johannesburg, June 9 (IANS) The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) in South Africa has launched a search operation after a light aircraft went missing on Sunday while flying over KwaZulu-Natal Province, with three occupants confirmed dead, said a local government official on Monday.

Siboniso Duma, member of the Executive Council for Transport and Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal, issued a statement on Monday morning about the missing aircraft with three people on board, including a reported student pilot.

“We have been informed by ARCC that the aircraft, which departed Virginia Airport (Durban) at around 15:00 hours on 8 June 2025, failed to reach its alternate destination and was last tracked flying over Ladysmith, heading south towards either Pietermaritzburg or Greytown,” said Duma.

“Understanding severe weather patterns as forecast by the South African Weather Services, we have taken a decision to assist ARCC in their search and rescue operations,” he said, Xinhua news agency reported. The South African Weather Services has issued a warning of thunderstorms and snowfall expected in KwaZulu-Natal from June 7 to 11.

In a follow-up statement on Monday afternoon, Duma said local authorities had received an updated report from ARCC confirming that all three passengers aboard had been found dead.

“ARCC informed us that they will be handing over the matter to the South African Police Service’s Accident and Incident Investigation Division and the South African Civil Aviation Authority for the official investigation,” said Duma.

“We express our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased passengers,” he added.

–IANS

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