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A propeller plane crashed in Säntis on Wednesday afternoon. It is said that only the pilot was aboard the ten-seat machine from Germany. He is still listed as missing. The wreck has been located, but it is very difficult to reach.
03.31.2022 51.18
Online since today, 18:51
The investigation into the small plane crash continued through the night and this morning. According to current knowledge, the aircraft, a Cessna 208 Caravan with about ten seats, took off from Siegen in northern Germany shortly after 11 am.
The pilot was probably traveling alone to Tuscany. According to canton police, the pilot is a 63-year-old Italian resident of Italy. He is still listed as missing.
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hard search
The search for the missing plane was very difficult on Wednesday due to fog. It wasn’t until late Wednesday afternoon that the missing plane could be searched. Meanwhile, wreckage was found on very rough terrain.
The site is located in the Grüehorn area, at about 1,700 meters above sea level. Drone footage that was taken overnight showed that the crash scene stretched over several hundred meters. The area is very steep and covered in snow.
Large-scale operation for rescue teams
In addition to various patrols and various experts such as drone pilots, investigators and supporters of the Canton of St.Gallen Police Administration, the Alpine Police Task Force of the Canton of St.Gallen and the Alpine Rescue Team of Eastern Switzerland with helicopter specialists are now deployed. As is common in air accidents, the investigation is being conducted by the Federal Public Ministry. The Swiss Safety Investigation Board (STSB) is responsible for determining the cause of the accident.