Woman's body washes up on beach after birthday plane tragedy
A body has been found in the search for a woman missing after a plane crash off the Gold Coast.
Gold Coast Water Police found the body of a woman, believed to be 31-year-old Trista Applebee, on the southern part of Main Beach on North Stradbroke Island.
The body of 52-year-old pilot, Marcel van Hattem, was located in wreckage off South Stradbroke Island on Thursday.
Ms Applebee has an 11-year-old daughter.
Police will now be preparing a report for the coroner.
On Friday, more details emerged about why it took until about 1pm for the plane to be reported missing after it took off at 10am on Wednesday, on what should have been a short joyride.
Southport Flying Club aerodrome manager Steve Rance said authorities were alerted after Ms Applebee's boyfriend was left waiting at the airstrip for his partner to return.
"He said he was waiting for his girlfriend who had been on a flight that took off at 10am and was only supposed to go for half an hour," Mr Rance told The Gold Coast Bulletin.
"That's when one of our members raised the alarm and we contacted Airservices (Australia)".
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