A body has been recovered approximately 24 hours after a plane crashed in a national park. The incident occurred on Thursday, September 18, around 4:30 pm local time, prompting emergency services to respond to Budawang National Park in Australia following the activation of an aircraft Emergency Location Transmitter. Concerns were raised about a potential missing or injured individual after the crash, leading to a multi-agency search operation.
Due to challenging access to the crash site, it took nearly a day for search and rescue teams to locate and retrieve the body, believed to be that of a 60-year-old man. The New South Wales Police Force issued a statement confirming the recovery of the pilot’s remains.
The small recreational aircraft, with a single occupant onboard, departed from Bankstown earlier that day and was returning to the airport when the incident occurred. A collaborative search effort involving various agencies like the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, NSW Toll Ambulance Helicopter, Fire and Rescue NSW, Rural Fire Service, and NSW Ambulance was initiated.
The crash site was identified from the air around 5:30 pm on the same day but was inaccessible by vehicle or on foot due to terrain and weather conditions. By 2:00 pm the following day, the body, presumed to be that of a 60-year-old man, was located at the site, and a recovery operation was successfully conducted with support from PolAir and Police Rescue. The formal identification of the deceased is pending.
The Australian Transport Bureau (ATSB) will conduct an investigation into the crash’s cause.