Three killed in light plane crash

Three people died yesterday when their light plane crashed into a mountainside in Orient, two of the victims were brothers, the third was their brother-in-law. The tragic accident happened at mid-day, just five minutes after they had taken off from Son Bonet airfield in the Pipper-Malibu-Meridiam light plane for the mainland. The three were bound for Sabadell when their plane crashed into a sheer rock face in the Son Terrasa area of Orient. According to Guardia Civil sources, the cause of the accident was the poor weather conditions and Palma air traffic control tower lost contact with the plane just moments after it took off. Minutes later, the emergency services received a call from an eyewitness who had seen the plane crash into the mountainside and explode. The crash zone is very difficult to access, at the foot of the mountain ten kilometres along the Alaro to Orient road. An air sea rescue helicopter was called in immediately, followed by a Guardia Civil chopper to locate the crash site. Inca and Soller fire fighters and the Local Police rushed to the scene as did 061 ambulance crews and paramedics. However, the Guardia Civil airbourne rescue unit were confronted with three charred bodies on reaching the crash site. Parts of the light plane littered the area, the impact is believed to have been fierce, hence the plane exploded. A crash investigation has been launched, but the cause is thought to have been the bad weather. Because of the restricted access to the scene of the accident, the bodies of the three victims were not removed until 4pm. Last night the two brothers were identified as Francisco Javier García Bayona and Emilio García Bayona and their brother-in-law Enrique Miranda Soria, according to the police, a partner in La Gavina pilot training school and a very experienced pilot. The three, all business executives in the textile industry in Cataluña, had flown over to Majorca on December 17. Air industry sources said yesterday that, in view of the bad weather and poor visibility, pilots would normally head north from Son Bonet to Pollensa and cross to the mainland from there in order to avoid flying over the Tramuntana mountains. The crash site remained cordoned off last night; the team of crash investigators will return to the accident site this morning. Last night the families of the victims were in deep shock and deeply distraught.