A light aircraft touched down safely on Tinley Manor beach yesterday afternoon after being forced into an emergency landing.

The pilots were able to maintain enough control to land without causing injury to themselves or damage to the aircraft.

Although there was ultimately no need for emergency services, a notification from the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) proved the system worked as needed.

According to IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson, Samantha Meyrick, teams from IPSS Medical Rescue, KwaDukuza Fire Department, KwaDukuza municipality lifeguards, and Netcare911 all responded to the distress call and arrived shortly after the emergency landing had been performed.

“The quick arrival of multiple emergency services gives testament to how effective the process can be when an aircraft declares an emergency. If this had been a worse outcome, the arrival of help would have been swift,” she said.

This is not the first time a light aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing on a KZN beach.

In May 2012 a light aircraft crashed on a beach near Virginia Airport and in February 2013, a Ballito couple had to land in front of Snake Park in Durban.

On each occasion, the occupants of the aircrafts were uninjured.