Plane crash family back home
There was a sudden gust of wind at about 50km/h that hit the plane.
OPTOMETRIST Willem Nieuwenhuis and his family are safely back home in Shelly Beach after surviving a horrific plane crash in East London last month.
Willem, his wife Sanja and their three children, Ruan, Liandri and Talita, were flying to Margate Airport on their way back from the Grahamstown National Arts Festival when their small aircraft crashed at East London on July 8.
They had planned to stop in East London to refuel when tragedy struck.
The Herald spoke to Mr Nieuwenhuis this week about their frightening ordeal: “We were about a metre-and-a-half to touchdown when a cross wind about 50km/h blew us off the runway. “The gust hit our plane on the left wing and we had no control. It happened so fast.
“My wife and I were seriously injured and admitted at the Life St Dominic’s Hospital. Thankfully, our children escaped with just a few bruises,” he said.
Mr Nieuwenhuis injured his right knee, wrist and chest while his wife’s legs had been injured. The couple spent 12 days in hospital and now have full-time carers, family and friends assisting them.
“We are doing fine. I am using crutches and Sanja is using a wheelchair. We are missing work and can’t wait to get back,” said Mr Nieuwenhuis.
It was a freak accident and he said it would not put him off flying.
The aircraft, which he had purchased in February this year, was a write-off.
“We are looking at buying a new one.”
The Nieuwenhuis family thanked the East London community and their family and friends for their support.
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