Wreckage found 160 metres deep after plane crashes into Attersee

Wreckage from a two-seat aircraft that crashed into Lake Attersee in Upper Austria was located at a depth of 160 metres, ORF Upper Austria reported. It remained unclear whether anyone besides the pilot was on board, and the recovery operation could take several days.

A local resident above the lake near Steinbach am Attersee, in the Vöcklabruck district, told ORF he first heard the aircraft’s engine. The sound grew louder before he ran outside and saw something fall into the water.

There was a loud splash, he said, followed by a large plume of water. The aircraft was no longer clearly visible. “There was a splash, and then it was already gone,” the witness said.

US tourist Tristan Andlinger also saw the crash. He told ORF Upper Austria that he saw a white aircraft spiral rapidly downward before striking the water. “The aircraft was immediately under water after the impact and sank quickly,” he said.

The first emergency responders arrived within minutes, according to the witness. Firefighters, water rescue teams, police, the Red Cross and a rescue helicopter took part in the operation. Search teams also used a diving robot and sonar equipment.

The aircraft had reportedly taken off from Salzburg. Flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 recorded a sudden loss of contact at 11.23am. The aircraft type had not been officially confirmed, although flight data suggested it was a Tecnam P2002JF Sierra. Witnesses said the plane rapidly lost altitude before plunging into the lake.

Sonar initially detected objects at greater depth, but it was unclear whether they belonged to the aircraft. Wreckage was located at 160 metres in the afternoon, after which preparations for its recovery began.

Firefighters estimated that about 150 litres of oil had entered the lake. They installed containment booms to collect the fuel.