The Portugese National Maritime Authority said a 50 year old man and an 8 year old girl
died after a light aircraft made an
emergency landing on Sao Joao beach in
Caparica, Portugal.
Terrified beach goers ran into the sea as the
plane flew towards them on a packed
beach, killing a man and the girl who were
sunbathing at the time.
Police are now questioning the two pilots
aboard the plane – one of whom was having
a flying lesson at the time. The two
occupants were unharmed. An eyewitness
said the plane had been flying at a low
altitude over the beach, although he did not
realise anything was wrong until other
beachgoers began running.
One young witness told Reuters, ‘I was near
the water when I saw the plane. I called my
parents, the plane fell on the sand and ran
over two people, fatally hurting them and
another was injured, I think, but I’m not
sure, people were running away. The plane
is still there, but the ambulances arrived
quickly. I think maybe the fuel ran out
because I find it weird that it landed on the
beach.”
Other reports said the victims had been
sunbathing when the plane made its
emergency landing and killed them.
