Two dead in crash of German light aircraft in Croatia's Velebit mountains

Operation under difficult conditions

The search for the light aircraft had dragged on for several days and was difficult due to the rugged terrain and weather conditions. The Velebit mountain range, which runs parallel to the Croatian Adriatic coast, is considered demanding and in places hard-to-access terrain. According to Croatian media reports, rescue crews had to search for the wreckage at night under challenging conditions.

According to the available sources, the Czech Foreign Ministry was also informed, as there was a connection to Czech authorities. Details of this link were not elaborated on in the reports. German authorities are involved in identifying the victims and in investigating the accident.

Sources and confirmation by HGSS

The Croatian mountain rescue service HGSS on Saturday issued a statement with the title „HGSS pronašao nestali zrakoplov na području Paklenice", thereby confirming the discovery of the wreckage and the recovery of the two bodies. The portal 057info.hr, also cited, reported under the headline „HGSS-ovci u noći kroz maglu došli do Struga i pronašli zrakoplov s dva tijela" on making their way through the fog at night to the crash site.

Local residents and social media users had previously shared posts, drawing attention to the disappearance of the aircraft. According to reports, these tips fed into the search operation. Following the discovery, the responsible air safety authority and the police launched investigations into the cause of the accident.

Investigations into the cause of the accident underway

The incident raises questions about the safety of light aircraft in the mountainous terrain of the Dinaric Alps. Comparable accidents in the region have repeatedly sparked discussions in the past about route planning and weather requirements for private motor flights. However, concrete conclusions in the current case are premature at this stage.

The recovery of the wreckage took place under difficult conditions. Rescue crews had to transport the material out of the rocky terrain of the Velebit massif. The Croatian authorities announced that they would investigate the course of the accident transparently and inform the victims' next of kin in a timely manner.