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Top cyclists die in plane crash
19/01/2005 14:42 - (SA)
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| Jaco de Witt (left) and Jaco Odendaal. (Beeld) |
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Bloemfontein - Two of South Africa's "most promising" young cyclists were among the five people who died in a plane crash in the Free State on Tuesday, the manager of SA's national cycling team told Sapa on Wednesday.
The two cyclists and three others were on board an Aerostar light aircraft which left Wonderboom aerodrome at about 16:30 on Tuesday. It was due to have landed at Harrismith at 17:30.
When they did not land as expected a search was launched, which continued through the night. The wreckage was found just outside Cornelia at noon on Wednesday. Bethlehem emergency services spokesperson Fred Slippers confirmed that the aircraft had been found and that all five occupants were dead. Professional cyclists
Although their names have not been released by the police, the cyclists' manager Tony Harding told Sapa that Jaco Odendaal's father, Koos, had telephoned him to break the news that his son, and fellow cyclist and friend Jaco De Witt were dead.
Jaco Odendaal, who rides professionally for Microsoft, had represented South Africa internationally a number of times, including at competitions in China, Malaysia and Italy.
Until recently, De Witt rode professionally for Barloworld.
"They both had bright futures and were just all round good guys," said a distraught Harding. "They were both under 23 and they always called me 'pa' [dad] so it felt like they were my own children."
It is understood that De Witt, who lived in Harrismith, has a pilot's licence although it was not clear who was at the controls, Harding said.
They were believed to be returning to Harrismith after a building contract.
Harrismith businessman Theunis Bekker earlier told Sapa that his brother Gerhard Bekker was on the plane.
Bekker also named the pilot as Dirk de Vos and said an engineer from Durban was also on the plane.
Police were en-route to the crash site which could only be reached by four wheel drive vehicle.
- SAPA
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