Two die in plane crash near Lanseria

Two people died when a light aircraft crashed near Lanseria International Airport outside Johannesburg on Thursday morning, an airport spokeswoman said.

“Unfortunately we can confirm that two people died,” said Claudette Vianello.

Officials were still trying to determine the cause of the crash which took place before 10am.

Eyewitnesses stated the plane left the airport and appeared to be trying to return when it crashed on open land outside the airport, she said.

The crash happened off the airport's grounds, and operations and flights were not disrupted.

Vianello said current information was that the two people who died were the only people on board the Cirrus light aircraft.

Netcare 911 spokeswoman Santi Steinmann said paramedics arrived on the scene to find “tragically, the two occupants of the aircraft lost their lives during the crash”.

- Sapa