Investigation underway into fatal aircraft crash near Greytown

The three young victims who died in a tragic light aircraft crash earlier this week have been identified.

The three student pilots, Nqobile Biyela and Lulama “Lwazi” Msane, both aged 23, and 20-year-old medical student Siphesihle Buthelezi, had taken off from Virginia Airport in Durban on Sunday, en route to their base in Pretoria.

They were forced to attempt a fuelling stop at Ladysmith, but when refuelling was not possible there, they were diverted to the nearby Greytown airstrip.

Tragically, the aircraft never reached its destination. The plane crashed in a eucalyptus plantation owned by Sappi just outside Greytown and close to Mooi River. The wreckage was discovered by a plantation worker on Monday morning.

According to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, the families are awaiting a report from a specialist pathologist with expertise in aviation-related fatalities who will be conducting the post-mortem examinations.

The privately owned aircraft departed Durban in the early hours of the afternoon but encountered fuel issues en route. A refuelling stop was attempted at Ladysmith Airstrip, but fuel was reportedly unavailable at the facility.

The flight was then diverted to Greytown Airstrip, which was the closest alternative. However, the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control during the final leg of the journey. The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which has deployed a team of experts to assess the wreckage and review flight data, weather conditions, and the aircraft’s maintenance records.

Preliminary reports suggest that fuel exhaustion may have played a role, but authorities have stressed that a full investigation is necessary before conclusions are drawn. Friends, relatives, and fellow students have expressed deep sorrow at the loss of the three young lives, all described as ambitious and passionate about their careers.

Social media has been flooded with tributes and condolences, with aviation and medical student groups calling for greater awareness around flight safety and support for young professionals entering high-pressure fields.