Two Belgian men, aged 32 and 39, met with a tragic accident shortly after takeoff in an ultralight private plane, a BRM Citius Sport (registered 871W) in Portugal. The incident occurred near the Ponte de Sor airport, causing serious injuries to the occupants. The crash took place in the district of Portalegre.
According to reports from CM Jornal the two Belgians took off from the Ponte de Sor airport around 11:00 local time. The airport, located approximately two hours from Lisbon in the Portuguese inland, was hosting the ‘Portugal Air Summit Take Off 2024‘ aviation event at the time. However, it is important to note that the crash was unrelated to the ongoing summit, as the flight was identified as a private one. Tragically, just a few kilometres into the flight, the ultralight aircraft encountered difficulties and crashed near the Montargil dam.
Emergency services, including a helicopter, rushed to the scene to aid the victims. Both Belgians sustained severe injuries, emphasising the gravity of the incident. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by authorities.
Another plane crash occurred later in the day at around 16:00 at the same Ponte de Sor airport. This time, it involved a Reims-Cessna F150J (registered D-ERIT) used for flight lessons. The crash resulted in one fatality – the instructor – and one other – the student pilot – sustaining serious injuries. The victims were identified as two men aged 22 and 40.
Source:
- ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 347764 (Aviation Safety Network)
- ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 347756 (Aviation Safety Network)
- Dois homens feridos com gravidade em queda de ultraleve no concelho de Ponte de Sor (CM Jornal.pt)
