Family on dream holiday killed alongside female pilot when aircraft plunged into river as ‘screams heard from wreckage’

A FAMILY enjoying a dream holiday have been killed alongside a female pilot in a horror plane crash just moments after take-off. Thomas Rings, 59, wife Dr Evelyn Rings, 57, and daughters Alicia, 19, and Paulina, 17, tragically died when the light aircraft plunged nose first into a river. GettyTragedy struck as the family of four enjoyed the holiday of a lifetime[/caption] The brood were leaving the waterside lodge they had stayed at for three days situated on the River Chobe in Namibia. They climbed into a Cessna 210 high-wing plane with newly-qualified pilot Nicole Mienie for the two-hour trip back to the capital Windhoek. They are thought to have taken a river taxi up to Impalila Island where there is a former South African National Defence airstrip built during the South African Border Wars. The airstrip was renovated last year by the Namibian Navy and was home to the Namibian Marine Corps but private charter flights are allowed to land and take off for tourists. Most read in The Sun CIAO BELLA Amanda Holden strips to bikini in the back of a truck on holiday in Sicily EYES ON THE ROAD Brits to face these FOUR new UK driving laws from September GET ON BOARD Annoying mistake everyone makes boarding planes - enraging passengers & crew 'MY HEART' Girlfriend of rapper shares pic of baby bump after he was killed at carnival PAWS FOR THOUGHT I'm a vet and these are the five neediest dog breeds - do you have one? HOUSE ABOUT IT Skint dad living on £66 a week breaks down as he's offered dream job The Rings family boarded the flight with the young pilot from the Klein Karoo in South Africa who passed her Cessna 210 rating a year ago and settled down for the short transfer. But just a minute into the flight villagers said they heard a “loud bang” and the six-seater light aircraft was seen to have nose-dived into the River Zambezi close to the shore. Eye witness accounts claim to have heard either all or some of those inside shouting for help but they were trapped in the sinking wreckage and it is feared some may have drowned. Part of the tail plane of the 120mph Cessna – registration number V5 LMK which was owned by Scenic Air based in Namibia – was found lying on the river bank by local villagers. It is thought the German family had been enjoying a two week break in the African bush and had chartered the light aircraft to fly them back to Windhoek for a flight to Germany. The family had been staying at the luxury Chobe Water Villas just down six miles down-river at Kasika where luxury waterside suites cost £1300 for a room-for-two per night inclusive. Air Accident Investigator chief Magnus Abraham said: “We can confirm at about 1.45pm on Tuesday a light aircraft Cessna 210 crashed on take from Impalila Island with 5 on board. “There was a South African pilot and a German family of four onboardthe flight run by a private operator and we have launched a full inquiry into the circumstances of the crash”. He said the bodies had all been recovered and taken to a nearby hospital mortuary.Those on board the plane suffered multiple injuries but it is feared some may have drowned. An eye witness told local reporters:”There was part of the back of the plane on the bank which may have washed up but the rest of it was about 30 feet out into the river . “It can be clearly seen and although there are hippos and crocodiles in the river men went out with axes and cut their way into the plane and were able to remove the bodies. “The plane is still in the water and investigators are now examining it and trying to work out a way to get it onto the bank but nobody knows yet why the plane fell out of the sky. “It is said screams were heard from the plane so some or perhaps all were alive but could not get out in time before it sank in the river and filled up inside with water” she said. The police have officially identified the pilot and the German family of four. Chief Inspector Elifas Kuwinga stated that their bodies were taken to the Katima Mulilo State Hospital Mortuary where post mortems will be carried out for cause of death. The runway has been rundown for many years on Impalila Island and another Cessna high wing which had to make an emergency landing there in 2017 with Swiss tourists crashed. The plane’s wing hit overgrown bushes and trees on the runway but all survived. Impalila Island is bordered to the north by the Zambezi river and to the south by the Chobe River and from the island you can see Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Read More on The Sun IM-PAW-SIBBLE Vet technician reveals the quietest dog breeds that don’t bark all the time WHAT A GEM! Gemma Collins shows off curves in strapless swimsuit on holiday with Rami The 10 mile by 6 mile island has a population of 2500 people in 25 villages and the repaired airstrip is used to bring in wealthy tourists who transfer to expensive lodges by river taxis. Namibian Police are guarding the wreckage by the village of Muwana until air investigators have concluded their work and divers have been brought in to help raise the wreckage.