Recovery Operations Update

 Operations to recover the bodies of the pilot and passenger from the Cessna aircraft, which crashed shortly before 6.30pm on Monday 29^th December 2014,  will begin at first light tomorrow morning.

The crew of the PV ‘Van Diemen’ are making final preparations to travel down to the crash site later today.

“We have this morning spent time with Airlines Tasmania conducting a familiarisation assessment of a similar type of craft,” said Inspector Lee Renshaw.

All the equipment required for the recovery operation is available, and weather conditions are forecast to be workable. We are keen to get this recovery completed as soon as practicable.

“Stage one is to relocate the plane, attach the lines and recover the bodies of the men.

“Stage two is to recover the aircraft. The M.V. ‘Kulanda’, a motorised landing barge, is assisting with the recovery of the aircraft.  It will travel down from Hobart tomorrow morning,” said Inspector Renshaw.

“It is anticipated that the ‘Kulanda’ will take about four hours to reach the PV ‘Van Diemen’, by which time we hope to be in a position to look at aircraft retrieval.

“We are very concious of the sensitivities surrounding this operation and are all keen to bring closure to the men’s families as soon as we can,” he said.

A representative from ATSB will be on the PV ‘Van Diemen’ and police are working with all relevant agencies to bring this matter to conclusion.