Water landing for light aircraft on Albir beach

BATHERS on Albir beach were treated to an unusual live show when a light aircraft made an emergency landing on the waters just off shore.

The pilot’s skills ensured the plane landed without injury to him or his passenger, and both occupants managed to escape and swim to shore, before the intact plane slowly sank in seven metres of water.

At the time of writing the cause of the plane’s failure was not known. A second part of the show came when the Guardia Civil managed to winch the carcass of the plane to the surface and then on to the shore.

The plane began to be dismantled on land for transport back to its base in Mutxamel, where the Commission of Civil Aviation Accidents was to initiate research to determine the causes of engine failure. The plane weighed 600 kilos and was valued at €40,000, according to the representative of the aviation club that owned the plane, it was a Cessna 152.

It was second hand, but had passed all the recent checks without problem. Two years ago many of his parts were replaced in a full overhaul. This is a two-seater aircraft used primarily for flight training, aviation and tourism.