Search continues for plane that crashed into Lake Attersee

The search for a crashed light aircraft and its missing occupants in Lake Attersee is continuing on Thursday, ORF reported. The two seat plane took off from Salzburg around midday on Wednesday and crashed into the lake shortly afterwards for reasons that remain unknown.

The exact location of the wreck is still unclear. It is believed to be at a depth of about 140 metres, roughly 200 metres from the shore. Authorities can order the aircraft’s recovery only once its position has been confirmed, a process that could take several days.

Wolfgang Hufnagel, district fire brigade commander for Vöcklabruck, said the condition of the wreck was also unknown. If the aircraft has broken apart, recovery could require the pieces to be brought up separately.

The crash occurred near Steinbach in the Vöcklabruck district. Firefighters, water rescuers, police, the Red Cross and a rescue helicopter took part in a large-scale operation on the lake. Underwater robots and sonar equipment were also used, while firefighters installed oil barriers.

There is currently no information about the occupants’ whereabouts or the cause of the crash.