The body of a man has been located in wreckage in Australia’s Snowy Mountains, after a multi-day search for a plane that went missing earlier this week. The body is believed to be that of missing pilot, David Stephens.
According to the NSW Police Force, the plane was reported missing on Tuesday, July 15, while traveling from Victoria to the New South Wales. The pilot, David Stephens, was initially not located but the body of a man has now been found near the crash site, just before 3.00pm on Friday, July 18 by NSW Police. While he is yet to be formally identified, NSW Police believe the body is that of 74-year-old Stephens, who was traveling solo.
On Tuesday, July 15, police received a missing person’s report at approximately 4:35 p.m. when Stephens failed to land at Moruya Airport. A command post was established, and a search commenced involving officers attached to the NSW Police Alpine Operations Unit, with assistance from the NSW and Victorian Ambulance Services, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre airwing; however, the plane could not be located.
On Wednesday, July 16, the multi-agency search resumed, involving officers from the NSW Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, State Emergency Services, National Parks and Wildlife Service, and Snowy Hydro. The AMSA Challenger rescue jet and two helicopters, from Victoria and Sydney, conducted an overhead search as well.
About 4.00 p.m. on Thursday, July 17, a rescue helicopter located the crashed plane near Khancoban. However, Stephens body was not found inside the plane wreckage. On Friday, July 18, the police located a man’s body near the crash site. The body was removed from the site later that afternoon and is currently undergoing formal autopsy and identification. A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
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