The wreckage of a de Havilland DH.84 bi-plane was found by searchers in Australia yesterday afternoon, a day after disappearing during a fly-in north of Brisbane. All six people aboard, including pilot Des Porter and his wife, were killed.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesman Mike Barton – who knew Porter as a friend – said the plane was beyond recognition when it was found. ‘‘The plane is not in a condition that you would recognise as plane,’’ he said. ‘‘It hit the ground exceedingly hard, the aircraft is fundamentally destroyed.’’
Barton said it would be a ‘‘fair assessment’’ to say the six people on board died on impact.
‘‘It was always our hope today that we would find this site and we would find survivors but unfortunately that’s not the case,’’ he said.
For the complete story by the Brisbane Times’ Bridie Jabour, click here.
