US: Indian girl killed as two training aircraft collide midair
The 19-year-old Indian girl Nisha Sejwal was among three people killed when two small training aircraft from a flight school collided midair yesterday in the US state of Florida. The other two victims were identified as Jorge Sanchez, 22, and Ralph Knight, 72. Reportedly, Sejwal had enrolled in the flight school in Sep'17. Police are investigating whether a fourth person was killed. Here's more.
Two aircraft belonged to a flight school in Miami
The two aircraft, Piper PA-34 and Cessna 172, belonged to Dean International, a flight school in Miami that has a history of over two dozen incidents and accidents in the decade between 2007 and 2017, Miami Dade County Mayor said. Two victims were discovered at the wreckage of one small plane and a third was found near the crash site of the second aircraft.
The planes were possibly training, says police spokesman
"Preliminary investigation revealed that the two planes were possibly training, which leads us to believe that you have a pilot and a trainer or trainer and a student, and in another plane a trainer and student," Miami Dade police spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta said. Dean International offers primary instruction for student pilots, advanced instruction for private and commercial pilots and training for multi-engine flights.
Witness saw the planes collide and recorded a video
A witness named Daniel Miralles, who was fishing in a canal near the airport, said he looked up in time to see the planes collide and record video of falling debris on his cellphone. "I heard a weird sound. It sounded like a plane, but it sounded too close. It sounded like an 18-wheeler going 100 mph down the street," said Miralles.
