A small aircraft crashed into the port canal of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on Sunday evening, there were two passengers on board, but there is no information about them.
The authorities have presumed that they are dead, and the emergency services are looking to seek the bodies.
The plane took off from eastern Germany and headed toward France. Debris from the aircraft was found in the water. At about 18:50, the authorities of the post found debris, clothing and life jackets in an area of water marked with oil, as per the sources.
Moreover, the coast guards, fire services and divers were deployed, along with a helicopter to assist in the emergency response. There was no trace of the passengers yet discovered, and the initial search is turning into a salvage operation, with a spokesperson for the emergency services stating that it is โreasonably expectedโ that the passengers are dead.
The dive team is working on the case and now using an underwater drone to scan the bottom of the canal, which has a depth of about 25 metres. A helicopter was also deployed.
Till 10 p.m., the authorities stated that the response had transitioned from a rescue to a recovery operation. That was after over two hours of searching for the victims.
The security office also mentioned in the statement, โThe fire brigade is currently using an underwater drone with sonar.
Furthermore, this drone can detect and locate objects below the surface. This way, you can dive in a targeted and safe way.โ