One of the light aircraft that went missing in the KZN midlands this afternoon has been found, and the pilot has been confirmed dead.

Gregory Critchley, chief of operations at the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC), says one of the search-and-rescue teams found one of the missing aircraft in the primary search area, west of Howick.

“The pilot, [who was] the sole occupant, was found to have suffered fatal injuries,” says Critchley.

The search is still underway for the second aircraft.

This afternoon, ARCC was alerted to a mayday call from a light aircraft to air traffic control.

“ARCC immediately alerted search-and-rescue teams through the KZN early warning network to activate for a search-and-rescue operation,” says Critchley.

Critchley told the SABC that the aircraft had been en route from a training school in Mpumalanga to KZN. They did not arrive.

The operation is being led by the SAPS search-and-rescue team KZN, assisted by other entities, including a drone operator.

The cause of the crash is not known and will be investigated by the relevant authorities.

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