Wreckage of Missing Small Plane Found on Velebit; Two German Nationals Dead

The wreckage of a small, ultralight aircraft has been discovered on Croatia's Velebit mountain, confirming the deaths of its two German occupants. The aircraft, identified by the registration D-KWZE, had been missing since Friday afternoon when its signal was lost approximately 27 kilometers northeast of Zadar.

Members of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) found the plane's remains and the two deceased individuals in the Paklenica region. Local police have secured the crash site, and an investigation is scheduled to commence early in the morning to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.

The aircraft was reportedly flying from the Czech Republic to Zadar. Its signal disappeared at 4:14 PM local time, prompting the Croatian Air Traffic Control to notify the Civil Protection Operational Center, which initiated a search and rescue operation.

The search involved personnel from the Civil Protection services of Zadar and Gospić, police officers, firefighters, and HGSS teams from both Zadar and Gospić. Flight tracking data from Flight Radar and Flight Aware indicated the plane was an ultralight HK36TC Eco Super Dimona, manufactured by Austrian company Diamond Aircraft.