Qld: One dead another missing in plane crash off Cairns

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2000
Qld: One dead another missing in plane crash off Cairns

BRISBANE, Aug 4 AAP - Poor weather today hampered the search for a missing pilot and
the wreckage of a light plane which crashed into the sea north-east of Cairns last night.

The single-engine Cessna 206 crashed off the Cairns suburb of Machans Beach in far
north Queensland shortly before 7pm (AEST).

One body was found late last night and today navy divers searched for pilot Stewart
Arthur Smith, 52, of Innisfail.

Inspector Brian McDonald said poor weather meant divers could only search by feel.

"They haven't been able to find anything with only about six inches of visibility -
it's a miserable sort of day up here," Insp McDonald said.

"We intend to search until we find the fuselage and the body."

The search was abandoned at 4pm (AEST).

Police early today said the body of Dean Raymond Irons, 52, of Cairns, was pulled from
the ocean last night.

The plane, which was leased by Hinchinbrook Air, was heard flying at low altitude before
crashing into the sea.

The aircraft had flown from Margaret Bay on north-east Cape York Peninsula. It had
tried unsuccessfully to land at Cairns airport before the pilot flew out to sea to make
another approach.

Witnesses reported watching the aircraft drop suddenly and then hearing it hit the
water with a thud.

An air and sea search involving four helicopters, five boats and around 40 SES volunteers
combed 12 km of coastline this morning.

Tomorrow surface vessels will use sonar equipment while beaches and shoreline will
be searched again for the pilot and wreckage.

AAP ch/jhm/cjh/br

KEYWORD: HOLLOWAYS NIGHTLEAD

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