The probe into Wednesday's plane crash which killed two women, aged 54 and 75, is underway.
Fifty-seven-year-old pilot Johan van der Bergh, survived when the Cessna four-seater plane he was flying crashed in the Palmietrivier area near Humansdorp Sunday.
Miraculously a dog, said to be a Jack Russel, also survived the horror accident.
Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Gerda Swart said Thursday that the names of the women have not yet been released. However, it is understoond that they were Van Der Bergh's wife and mother-in-law.
In a statement Wednesday, the NSRI said an emergency response was activated and the ARCC (Air Rescue Coordination Centre) of the ATNS (Air Traffic and Navigation Services) were alerted.
NSRI spokesperson, Craid Lambinon, said "they assumed command of a search and rescue operation for the light aircraft, a Cessna 186, with three persons onboard and believed to have departed Wonderboom, Pretoria, earlier, refuelling at Graaff Reinet and overdue for arrival at Plettenberg Bay Airport."
He said ARCC, an SA Air Force 15 Squadron Charlie Flight helicopter, the EMS/AMS Skymed helicopter, Wetsern Cape Government Health EMS, NSRI St Francis Bay, NSRI Oyster Bay, Humansdorp Fire and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services, Private Care ambulance services and a security company were also activated.
"A private pilot in his aircraft from Plettenberg Bay volunteered to assist in a search," he added.
Lambinon said during a search the aircraft was found on a hill top on the Palmietvlei Mountains near to the Oyster Bay turn-off from the N2 Freeway.
"NSRI rescuers hiked to the crash scene from the nearest road location and later paramedics were airlifted to the crash scene aboard a SAAF 15 Squadron Charlie Flight BK-119 helicopter," he said..
The injured pilot was airlifed to hospital in Port Elizabeth.
