Heartbreaking photo of dog waiting for owner feared dead in plane crash
A dog has been seen patiently waiting for her owner to return home after it is feared he died in a plane crash off the Gold Coast.
Experienced pilot Marcel van Hattem took his friend for a short flight in perfect conditions on Wednesday, but they never came back.
His dog, Kyla, was seen sitting at the gate for her owner on Thursday, Nine News reported.
Gold Coast Water Police have found a man's body, believed to be that of the 52-year-old pilot, in wreckage off South Stradbroke Island.
But there is still no sign of the passenger, the 31-year-old mother of an 11-year-old girl, so searching will continue.
The search was launched after the pair failed to return from a short flight ahead of her birthday on Thursday, Senior Sergeant Jay Notaro told reporters.
"It actually was a birthday flight. The pilot was known to her and providing that flight as part of her birthday celebrations," he said.
Mr van Hattem was a well-respected pilot who had been keeping his plane at the Coombabah airstrip for about five years, Aerodrome Manager Steve Rance said.
"He was a lovely guy, a well-respected member of the club. He made sure everything was well maintained and in order," Mr Rance said.
Southport Flying Club president Neil Aitkenhead says it is clear something went horribly wrong for the pilot.
Mr van Hattem was a regular at the club's airstrip and was proficient, Mr Aitkenhead said.
"It's a tragedy," he told AAP on Thursday.
Mr Aitkenhead said flying conditions were perfect when the pair climbed into the Soviet-era Yak 52.
The plane was spotted flying over South Stradbroke Island about half an hour later and then debris was found in the early evening.
The search didn't begin until later that day because authorities weren't told until early on Wednesday afternoon the plane was missing.
But Mr Aitkenhead said it was a private flight, so there would have been no way of knowing where the pilot had gone.
"He could have landed anywhere. It wasn't until investigations dug deeper and found it was only intended to be a 30-minute flight that the alarm was raised."
The same type of plane plunged into the ocean in the same area 11 years ago, killing the pilot and passenger.
Experienced pilot Barry Hempel and his passenger, Ian Lovell, died when their Yak-52 crashed into the ocean off South Stradbroke Island in August 2008.
With AAP
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