Families reveal tragic detail after newlyweds die in plane crash
The families of Queensland couple Rhiley and Maree Kuhrt have paid tribute to the newlyweds and shared a heartbreaking detail.
The “utterly grief stricken” families of a young Queensland couple who died after their light aircraft crashed in bad weather have revealed what the newlyweds planned on naming their unborn daughter.
Pilot Rhiley Kuhrt and his wife Maree — who, according to social media, was 27 weeks' pregnant with their first child — were reported missing on Sunday night after their Piper Cherokee failed to reach its destination, Lakeside Airpark, Bloomsbury.
The wreckage was discovered in rugged terrain in the Mount Hector range by a rescue helicopter on Monday morning. A specialist police unit is attending the scene on Tuesday to begin the recovery mission.
Families reveal name of baby girl
In a fundraiser launched to support both families following the tragic accident, Mr Kuhrt’s sister Beccarah Markham-Gaudion revealed the couple “and their beautiful unborn baby girl Phoebe” had “tragically lost their lives during a routine flight to see family”.
“We are all absolutely heartbroken and utterly grief stricken. Three incredible lives were cut way too short,” she wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Whilst we grieve and try seek comfort in each other, we ask for your help and support us in covering costs for Rhiley, Maree, and angel baby Phoebe's funerals. We would like to thank you all for your condolences, sympathies, and ongoing support during this dark time in our lives. We appreciate it more than you know.”
'So excited to be a mum'
Heartbroken friends have flooded Maree’s social media pages with tributes for the couple, who were married in an outdoor ceremony in October last year after becoming engaged in June, 2021. The expectant mum posted a photo of her growing belly on Instagram just one day before her untimely death, saying she was “getting closer and closer to meeting [her] baby girl”.
“RIP to the most beautiful cowgirl inside and out I knew. I can’t believe your gone. I was only talking to you three days ago. We were talking about you being so happy and so excited to be a mum,” a woman named Sarah Hall wrote on Maree’s Facebook.
“I am so shocked and devastated by the news this afternoon. You meant so much to so many people, you were a beautiful person inside and out,” Nicole Williams said. “I was so excited to find out you were only three weeks ahead of me in pregnancy, and that our babies would be able to grow up knowing each other and ride horses together when we visited.”
“A fella couldn’t help but be constantly impressed by Maree and Rhiley's sense of adventure and zest for life,” Russell Freeman wrote. “You figure quick they’re a special kind when your helping her onto the back of a rodeo bull and see he’s managing cattle stations at such a young age.”
Retrieval could take days
Police Inspector Andrew Godbold said preliminary investigations suggest visibility was poor when the plane crashed, and indicated the retrieval mission will take two to three days.
“A lot of showers, thunder and probably visibility down to nothing,” he said. “It’s a very rugged terrain there. There’s obviously a lot of mountainous terrain in the area there and it is very difficult for us even just to walk in at this stage.”
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Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigators are travelling to the crash site to collect evidence, including any recorded data, weather information and will also seek witness reports and aircraft operator procedures and maintenance records.
The agency expects to publish a preliminary report in six to eight weeks, with a final report detailing contributing factors and any identified safety issues. “Should any critical safety issues be identified at any stage during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties so appropriate safety action can be taken,” it said.
With AAP
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