Two aerobatic display planes collided mid-air, resulting in one aircraft crashing to the ground and killing the pilot onboard. The incident occurred as the light aircraft were returning to an airfield in Sydney, Australia, after participating in a formation display with two other planes.
The deceased pilot, Eddie Seve, lost his life when his plane crashed into scrubland, while the second pilot, Olly Geragthy, was able to safely land his aircraft at a nearby airfield. New South Wales Police have secured two crash sites, according to reports by the Express, with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) launching an investigation into the collision.
Authorities will be interviewing the remaining pilots to gather information for their inquiry, including air traffic control data, flight tracking records, pilot backgrounds, aircraft maintenance logs, and weather conditions at the time of the incident.
The pilots were members of the Freedom Formation Display Team, the largest formation aerobatic display group in the Southern Hemisphere. In a statement, the team confirmed the accident and expressed their cooperation with emergency response officials and support for the affected team members and their families.
A spokesperson for the New South Wales Police advised the public to stay away from the crash area and urged any witnesses with information about the collision to come forward.