Small plane crash leaves woman injured after pilot dies in mid-air
Monday, August 24, 2015 @ 9:17 AM
A PILOT who fainted at the controls of a light aircraft has died and his wife, who bravely tried to land the plane despite not knowing how to fly, is in hospital with multiple burns.
The craft took off in Trebujena (Cádiz province) heading for Coria del Río (Sevilla province) when the deceased passed out, and his wife, who was in the co-pilot's seat, called one of his friends on her mobile.
It was the friend who rang the emergency services instantly, just before 13.00hrs yesterday (Sunday), and they took up stations on the ground whilst air-traffic control attempted to trace the plane.
They located it above Brenes (Sevilla) and sent out a helicopter and another plane to assist whilst the pilot's wife was given instructions over the radio to help her carry out an emergency landing.
She had never flown before, except as a passenger, and does not have a pilot's licence.
Sevilla airport was shut for two hours from 13.20hrs, an unprecedented situation created by the emergency which led to four commercial flights bound for the Andalucía capital being redirected to Jerez de la Frontera airport (Cádiz province).
One of these was carrying the Villarreal FC team, heading for Sevilla to play their first League match of the season against Betis FC.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com