Two elderly passengers die in ultralight aircraft crash in Croatia's Velebit mountains

A tragic accident in Croatia's Velebit National Park has claimed the lives of two elderly individuals after their ultralight aircraft crashed.

The aircraft, identified as a D-KWZE, was on a flight from the Czech Republic to Zadar when its signal was lost around 4:14 PM on Friday, approximately 17 nautical miles northeast of Zadar. The Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) was immediately alerted.

Rescuers faced extreme difficulties during the search, which lasted about five hours. They battled strong winds, heavy rain, and dense fog, with visibility reduced to a mere 50 meters in the rugged, uninhabited terrain. The challenging conditions significantly hampered their efforts.

Forty HGSS members from various stations, supported by the State Intervention Unit of Civil Protection, were involved in the operation. Despite deploying equipment for night searching, the severe weather prevented its effective use. The wreckage and the bodies of the two passengers, a man and a woman both around 80 years old, were found late Friday night in a difficult-to-access area.

Authorities secured the site, and an investigation into the cause of the crash began Saturday morning. While the exact cause remains undetermined, the adverse weather conditions over the forested Velebit mountains are considered a major contributing factor. Initial assumptions that the passengers were Czech citizens were later refuted by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs; German nationality is being considered.

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The investigation must establish the facts and determine whether the food consumed by the deceased was contaminated or whether any other medical or environmental factor contributed to the deaths.