firefighters battle effects of crash in southern Poland; photo - PAP/Stanislaw Rospeczyk
The first accident involved a craft that was returning to Krakow following an aviation display at Lososina Dolna, near Nowy Sacz.
The plane plunged from the sky at about 7.30 pm, over two hours after the end of the aviation display. Both of the two men on board died.
Just minutes later one adult and three children died when another light aircraft crashed into a residential building in Nowa Huta, southern Poland.
The Cesna 182 plane was being flown by the recently appointed director of Krakow's aviation club (Aeroklub Krakowski).
The 42 year-old had invited the children of friends to take part in what was intended to be a short, recreational flight.
“The pilot was supposed to do a circle and then return to the airport,” said Dariusz Nowak, a spokesman for the Malopolska police.
The plane crashed into a two-family house on the outskirts of Nowa Huta.
All those on board perished. The three passengers were all girls; two 12 year-olds and one 14 year-old.
Nineteen people were in the building at the time of impact.
The house burst into flames, but all those within the house managed to escape.
It soon transpired that one of the resident families had suffered another tragic loss in recent months. Earlier this year, a car accident killed the mother of the family
“Now they have lost their home and they desperately need help,” said neighbour Dorota Dziura.
The city of Krakow has provided psychological aid to all those involved in the accident, and hotel rooms were offered to the residents of the destroyed house.
At present it is still unclear why both crashes occurred.
Of the latter accident, President of Krakow's Aviation Club Jacek Turczynski said that the aircraft was new and well-equipped.
“Hundreds of such flights are made,” he affirmed. (nh)
Source: PAP