Friends mourn 13 killed in plane wreck

ANGELIQUE SERRAO, SHAUN SMILLIE and Graeme Hosken

At ST Peter’s Preparatory in Bryanston, the school’s flag was flown at half-mast as across Gauteng family and friends mourned the victims of two plane crashes.

Yesterday, authorities found the two crash sites in the Wolkberg mountain range outside Tzaneen, Limpopo.

The names of the 13 dead, including three children, were released shortly after the discovery. On the Albatross aircraft, registration ZU-MMI, the pilot was Brian Gruar, 58, and passengers Marianne Anderson, Madison Doak, 7, and Alexandra Doak, 10, Louise Warden, 44, Tess Spence, and Kevin Woolacott.

On the second plane, registration ZS-NJX, the pilot was Peter Geldenhuys and the passengers were Peter and Stuart van Oldenburg, Franz Dely, Marietjie de Witt and Linda Pierce.

Aside from his love for flying and recognition as a great airshow pilot, Gruar ran a motoring company in Wadeville, Germiston.

His employee, Chris van Zyl, struggled to hold back the tears as he spoke about his colleague.

“He was a wonderful man. Anyone who needed help… he was there for them.”

Brian’s partner, Marianne, was also killed in the crash.

“Marianne was an avid runner and also a very well-liked person,” said Van Zyl.

Alexandra and Madison were the children of Gruar’s niece. He fondly referred to them as his grandchildren.

Madison and Alexandra had recently returned to South Africa on a three-week holiday with their parents after moving to Qatar a year ago.

The other youngster killed, Stuart, was an old boy at St Peter’s Preparatory.

The school’s principal, Nigel Sloane, has fond memories of the boy.

Sloane remembers Stuart as a “beautiful” child who enjoyed rock climbing and who left the school in 2009 to head to St Andrew’s in Grahamstown.

Two weeks ago, Sloane saw Stuart, now in Grade 9, while visiting Grahamstown. “Stuart was playing rugby and came up to me to tell me how he was doing,” said Sloane.

St Andrew’s College principal Aiden Smith said the school was devastated by Stuart’s death.

“Stuart was fondly known as Smiley by his friends, and this encapsulated his effervescent and friendly personality.

“He was a highly intelligent and talented young lad who will be sorely missed by the boys and the staff at St Andrew’s College,” Smith said.

Shirley Meyer remembers her friend and colleague, Linda Pierce, as an energetic person who was well loved in the aviation industry. She became engaged to Athol Franz, an aviation enthusiast and managing editor of African Pilot.

“Travelling to airshows with Athol became part of her life,” Meyer said. “We are going to miss her.”

Woolacott, an airshow co-ordinator, worked in the paper industry and freelanced at the radio station Capital Sounds.

Capital Sounds colleague Brian Emmelis described Woolacott, a Durban resident, as one of the country’s finest airshow co-ordinators who also worked on big events like the Duzi canoe race and the Midmar mile.

“He was hugely sought after, so much so that he was actually flown into the big airshows,” he said.

Emmelis said Woolacott left his wife and two children.

Warden was a businesswoman who started her own events and marketing company in Pretoria, Ping Pong Communications.

Her sister-in-law, Lara Warden, described her as the matriarch of the family.

“She was our matriarch, our pillar. If we needed advice we called Louise,” Lara said.

Yesterday, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele sent his condolences to the families.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with them all during these difficult moments,” Ndebele said.