Barberton – Search and rescue efforts for missing pilot Johann Marx and his Cessna 206 aircraft continued on Friday under difficult weather conditions, as teams detected a signal from his iPhone in the Lebombo mountain range near the Barberton Makhonjwa World Heritage Site.
Marx, 30, departed from King Mswati III International Airport in Eswatini at 13:23 on Thursday, bound for Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport in South Africa. The aircraft, registered TL-ADE, lost signal at 13:37 and has not been located since.
The Lebombo mountains where the iPhone signal came from. > Photo: Gia Radnai
According to the latest update, teams from Search and Rescue South Africa (SARZA), the Ehlanzeni Diving Unit, and the K9 Police Unit tracked the phone signal to an area within a one-kilometre radius in the mountains after narrowing down an initial search zone of 4.6 kilometres.
Captain Pottie Potgieter from the Ehlanzeni Diving Unit said the search has been slowed by heavy mist and challenging terrain, making aerial or drone support essential. Teams have continued to move through the rugged area on foot and by vehicle in efforts to locate the pilot.
Marx was the only person on board the aircraft when it went missing. Search operations will resume on Saturday as authorities continue to comb the area near Barberton.
