2 Pilots and plane missing ! ! !

[Gunship]

:sad: I can not believe they only started searching NOW ?? :sad:



Civil aviation authorities from various southern Africa countries were searching for two South Africa pilots who went missing last week after taking off from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.

It said efforts by the Zambian, Malawian and Tanzanian aviation authorities to trace the pilots were under way.

Jaco du Plessis and Lourens Louw's aircraft went missing on June 12 after departing from Dar es Salaam en-route to Zambia to refuel.

The department said the South African High Commission in Tanzania remained in constant liaison with the Johannesburg International Research and Rescue Unit and the Tanzanian Civil Aviation authorities.

In addition, the South African mission in Tanzania was in constant contact with governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Zambia for any further information that could be obtained.

"We will continue to monitor the situation," the department added.

[Komba]

Guns

What was the aircraft?

[jet_noseover]

Komba, it's the South African-registered Piper Seneca PA43

[planecrazi]

I believe a Piper "Sneeker" is a PA34-200T

[ShenziRubani]

Still not found as off this morning. It is sad, I hope they get the boys. But, 2 days before they left, I was in Dar, waiting behind them to get refueled, I think that one of the engine was coughing a bit too much to be normal.

[rags]

I was in the Lusaka tower on Friday 12 + 1/6/2003 19h00. Overheard the controler talking about an aircraft everybody was looking for. Must have been this one.

Lets hope they are OK. They are in some bad country to survive in.

[Gunship]

Sorry guys nothing more this morning from my side from the Web.

I only flew from Messina over ZIm over the great lake to Dar.

Man oh man lotsa water and lotsa jungle. If you look at too much CNN you would think there are no more jungles out there - till you see it for yourself !

Ja Rags ... bad country - really wish them the best on Survival.

[Cardinal Puff]

They may have hit a storm around Lake Malawi and gone in. Sneaker not known for bulletproof wings (no outer spar).

Drivers were/are Jaco du Plessis, a pro hunter and Louwrens (no last name available). Reg is ZS-KBT as far as I know.

Hope they're still with us and found soon.

[Gunship]

mmmhhh CP ... the beers flowed last night I pressume ... let me remind you ... :p



Gunship Said :

Jaco du Plessis and Lourens Louw's aircraft went missing on June 12 after departing from Dar es Salaam en-route to Zambia to refuel.


:E

[Cardinal Puff]

Comes from just skimming through this stuff while hovering around Jetblast.:confused:

[Gunship]

Arggggg that is B E E R mate ... :E

[ShenziRubani]

Hey guys, more rumors here in East Africa, I think it is total b.s. but it appears a small plane has been caught in Northern Kenya, a light twin, on its way to Somalia or else, without flight plan. Could be total East African rumors.
Willlet u know ifI hear more.

[Gunship]

Twenty Grade 7 pupils were among hundreds of volunteers who helped search for two missing Gauteng men in the Tanzanian bush on Thursday.

Lourens Louw, 40, and Jaco du Plessis, 31, were last seen taking off from Dar es Salaam a week ago. They had been doing business for Du Plessis' safari company and were returning home to Johannesburg via Mfue in Zambia.

Teachers and pupils in Kisake, near the Selous game reserve in southern Tanzania, heard the low-flying aircraft heading south over the school last Thursday.

Tanzanian civil aviation authority chief Commander Laurence Paul said the two teachers and the class of 14-year-olds joined the search for the Piper Seneca in the bush surrounding the village.

Since the plane went missing, two helicopters, two light aircraft and a microlight have taken part in the search. On Wednesday, a police helicopter searched the bush for hours, but on Thursday air searches were suspended.

Search parties of up to 104 people were, however, still combing each of the five southern districts along the route the men would have taken, Paul said from Dar es Salaam.

Three of the districts announced on Thursday afternoon they had found no trace of the aircraft in any areas where an emergency landing would have been possible.

The aviation authority has already established that the men did not land at any air strips or airports along their route.

Louw's wife, Gina, of Bon Accord in Pretoria North said "it's just a matter of time before they're found".

She last spoke to her husband when she said goodbye to him at Lanseria Airport north-west of Johannesburg. The couple has a son Adri, 8, and a daughter Rene, 10.

"We're spoilt here in South Africa. Everyone walks around with a cellphone and speaks English. It's not the same over there."

But she was not worried about their survival, she said. "After all, Jaco (Du Plessis) has lots of experience in the bush."

Du Plessis, of Benoni on the East Rand, regularly flies foreign tourists to Tanzania for safaris. Louw, a pilot with many hours of flying in Africa, has been working for Du Plessis for a month.

:sad:

[Gunship]

I am posting this in Afrikaans as well in another thread as it might have just a clue people are looking for ... here goes a quick translation of important things ...

A short (SMS style) message was left on the answering machine of Du Plessis's dad. Most is not understandable but what was clear (IN ENGLISH) was "we are not cargo".

They speculate here that it means in flying terms: The two where NOT on board or they are NOT injured.

Rumours started again that the aircraft was seen in Nairbo at Jomo Kenyatta. Mr Du Plessis snr carries on that his son was a professional piot and he had 2 GPS and he would not have got lost as he knew the area very well and the weather was great.

Kenya confirmed that the aircraft was never there. The search goes on ....

:sad:


En dis veral 'n boodskap wat verlede Sondag, toe hul verdwyning nog nie in die media bekend was nie, op Du Plessis (31) se pa se antwoordmasjien gelos is wat die families hoop gee.

Dit klink soos 'n SMS wat elektronies teruggelees word, en die grootste deel is onverstaanbaar. Tog is daar een sin in Engels wat baie duidelik sê die Suid- Afrikaners "is nie vrag (cargo) nie".

In lugvaarttaal beteken dit een van twee dinge: die twee was nie in die vliegtuig nie, of hulle is nie beseer in die vliegtuig nie.

Die boodskap bevat ook die name van die verdwene Du Plessis se pa, Gerrie, asook sy ma, Marina, en klein Jaco, sy babaseun van nege maande. Louw se vrou, Gina, se selfoonnommer word ook genoem.

Mev. Gina Louw sê hulle weet nie wat die boodskap beteken nie. Die nommer waarvandaan dit gestuur is, kon nie opgespoor word nie, maar die families het die boodskap na deskundiges gestuur in die hoop dat hulle meer daarvan sal kan ontsyfer.

Louw sê sy en haar man het juis afgespreek dat hulle nie kontak sou maak totdat hy terug is by die huis nie.

"Gewoonlik as hy in die buiteland is, kommunikeer ons per e-pos, maar ons het afgespreek dat ons nie dié keer sal praat nie."

Sy sê haar man sou haar beslis laat weet het as hulle nie verlede Donderdag sou terugkom nie, of as hulle 'n ander roete sou neem. Dit is dalk wat die boodskap wou oordra.

Die boodskap, asook berigte uit Tanzani' en Kenia dat die vliegtuig vroe'r die afgelope week op die Jomo Kenyatta-lughawe in Nairobi in Kenia gesien is, het die raaisel laat verdiep.

Mnr. Gerrie du Plessis sê sy seun sou nooit so 'n groot fout begaan as om in die teenoorgestelde rigting te vlieg nie. Kenia is noord van Tanzani'. Du Plessis jr. ken die roete en vlieg dit al vyf jaar.

Louw is ook 'n beroepsvlie'nier.

"Buitendien, benewens die vliegtuig se navigasie-instrumente het Jaco twee GPS-toestelle by hom gehad.

"Ek kan nie glo dat hy só van koers sou raak nie. Dit was ook 'n mooiweersdag in Tanzani' en daar was nie rede dat hulle van koers af sou dwaal nie."

Albei families is ook seker dat die twee op pad terug was na Suid-Afrika en dat hulle nie nog ander draaie wou maak nie.

Du Plessis se pa gee toe dat daar dalk ongerymdhede betrokke kan wees, maar hy wil hom nie steur aan gerugte nie.

Die owerheid in Kenia ontken dat die vliegtuig op die lughawe in Nairobi was. Dié bewering het gekom van 'n ambassadelid van 'n groot moondheid. Dié teenstrydige inligting stem die families tot kommer.

Die Suid-Afrikaanse ho' kommissariaat in Kenia het glo ook by die Keniaanse owerheid navraag gedoen, maar is meegedeel die vliegtuig was nie in Nairobi nie.
Me. Nomfanelo Kota, woordvoerder van buitelandse sake in Pretoria, sê die Suid-Afrikaanse ho' kommissariaat in Kenia sal die inligting verder opvolg as dit bevestig kan word.

Intussen het Tanzani' begin om sy soektog na die vliegtuig af te skaal. Die land se hoof van burgerlugvaart het gesê die soektog sal net heeltemal afgelas word indien die vliegtuig of die wrak opgespoor is.

Du Plessis sr. sê as die owerheid bes gee, sal hy aanhou soek. "Ek weet nog nie wat ons sal doen nie, maar ons kan nie tou opgooi nie."

Hy het intussen iemand na Tanzani' gestuur om onafhanklik van die owerheid moontlike leidrade op te volg.

Hoewel albei families vas glo die twee mans sal binnekort tuis wees, het die gewag 'n tol begin eis.

"Ons emosies ry wipplank. Eers is daar goeie nuus en skielik is daar weer slegte nuus. Dit is baie uitputtend," sê Du Plessis.

[Gunship]

The South African police are waiting for an Interpol report before they can get involved in the search for two Gauteng men who have been missing for more than a week after their aircraft left Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

Jaco du Plessis, 31, of Benoni on the East Rand and Lourens Louw, 40, of Bon Accord in Pretoria, were on a business trip and left Dar es Salaam to fly back to South Africa via Mfue in Zambia nearly 10 days ago.

Director Phuto Setati, national police spokesperson, said the police were aware of the incident, but hadn't received any information. "As soon as a report is received, the relevent authority will take a decision."

Setati couldn't say if the report had to come from the South African or Tanzanian Interpol representatives.

Meanwhile, the only clue to the men's disappearance is an unclear message on a family member's answering machine. Gerrie du Plessis said the sentence "Lourens and Jaco were not cargo", formed part of the message left on his brother-in-law's answering machine last Sunday.

Du Plessis said in aircraft lingo it meant that the men were not in the aircraft or "not dead, because they hadn't arrived as luggage".

The names of Du Plessis's parents and his baby son, as well as the cellnumber of Louw's wife, Gina, were read in English with the request that they all be contacted.

He said copies of the cassette had been sent to several experts to see if they could interpret more clues.

"We have listened to the cassette time and again, but some words are difficult to hear."

Anyone who can help has been requested to contact Du Plessis at 082 929 6850.

[B Sousa]

"The South African police are waiting for an Interpol report before they can get involved in the search for two Gauteng men who have been missing for more than a week after their aircraft left Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. "

Waiting for Interpol to do anything is like watching the Grass grow. Lots of country out there to hide a small thing like a Seneca. Heres hoping all goes for the best...

[Sir Cumference]

This story sounds stranger and stranger!

I flew a similar route up to Kenya on the Thursday and back on the Friday (from SA). Weather did not appear to be a problem at all, no vertical build up and generally a max of 3/8ths cover.

Seems like this story has a lot more to it than immediately meets the eye! :confused:

[BAKELA]

Sir Cumference,

Could not agree more. Happened to listen to radio interviews with relatives of the pilot this morning and there's a lot of missing threads or matters still 'hanging' out there. Let's hope they are safe but also let's wait and see what comes up.

[flutter by]

Dar Es Salaam - Tanzanian civil aviation authorities have called off the search for a South African-registered aircraft that has been missing for more than two weeks.

"The search can be reactivated if any new information about the ill-fated aircraft is received," said Civil Aviation Authority acting director Laurence Paul late on Wednesday.

The small plane, a Piper Seneca, went missing with two people aboard after taking off from Dar es Salaam airport on June 12.

It was to land in Zambia for refuelling before continuing to South Africa.

[Gunship]

Morning again boys and girls ... just to refresh your drunkin babbalas minds ...

Whatever hapened with this plane and it's contents ?

Gooi the rumours .. this IS a Rumour Network after all ! :E

[Sir Cumference]

Hi Gunnnsss. You read my mind. I was about to post the same question, what has happened to this case? I can think of numerous cases where family and friends have chartered other aircraft etc. to continue the search. In this instance, nothing?! I have said earlier in this thread, this is a very strange case and I am sure that there is more to this tory than meets the eye. Or maybe I am just being overly suspicious?:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[rags]

Sad sad sad

We have indeed forgotten our 2 missing brothers

It reminds me of the two youngsters from Krugersdorp way that is missing between JHB and the lowfeld for about 15 year. Guns you may still remember this (my boet was doing some searhing for the plane when he was with 19). As far as I know they are still missing. Was a Piper and I think the reg was V V K. Remember he said that they found ALL the wrecks in the lowveld /mountains except the correct one.

Regards

[Kiwi Flyer]

I heard the other day that the wreckage had been found, but no sign of the occupants. Could just be a rumour however...I shall check some more!

[Gunship]

Hey thanks for the replies ... sadly one of the threads that I missed since the Cape Town bash.

Sir Cum, sad indeed. Heard (big rumour) some serious stuff but I will keep it to myself as I am sure it is a bieg rumour. I am seeing a family member in London and wished to give them a glimpse of hope.

She said (and I am sure I misunderstood her) that thay have already been decleared dead. In hind - sight that is 99% untrue as we all know how long it takes ...

Bottomn line is : Here is a beautiful lady waiting back home for hubyy with a small child on top of that. :sad:

Rags cheers to your fallen brother mate. :sad: (Those that remember our comrade in arms RAGS in Afrikaans).

Rags I remember that accident / incident very well ! Do you want to tell me till today nothing has been found ?

Unbelievable ~~~ but then again remember how long we took (with full SAAF resources) to find old Velle Veldsman in the Allouette near Graskop / Sabie .. eischh those mountains are bad :ouch:

KIWI Flyer try your best on confirming / abandoning that rumour. Cheers mate.

Guys ANY . ANY rumour will help - the family reads this thread. :sad:

[rags]

As far as I know yes. Maybe someone with better recources(bledy groot woord) can check it out. Remember a number of years ago a Dominie from Krugersdorp looking for help on this case

Groete

[Rhodie]

Hey Guns

Also been following, and wondering what's happened - you said the family read the thread - well, I dont know quite what I could do to help, but if the family need a pilot, or even a back-packer to join a ground search for a week or so, they can call me (PM). I know that funds were a problem, but if there is a RUMOUR that the guys are alive, well, I'm in.

I am sure lots of guys out there feel the same - anyone want to start some support again...?

R

[Kiwi Flyer]

Did some more digging Guns, apparently no wreckage or anything else. Just a rumour.

Cheers

KF