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Velebit mountain crash kills two in ultralight aircraft
Two people have died following the crash of an ultralight aircraft in Croatia’s Paklenica National Park. The aircraft, a Diamond HK-36TC-100 Super Dimona with German registration D-KWZE, was traveling from Olomouc, Czech Republic, toward Zadar when it disappeared from radar on August 21, 2026, at approximately 4:14 p.m.
The wreckage and the bodies of the two victims were located late Friday evening around 10:00 p.m. by the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) in a difficult-to-access area near the Struga mountain shelter on the Velebit range. The search operation involved approximately 35 to 40 rescuers, along with police, firefighters, and civil protection units.
Search efforts were severely hampered by extreme weather conditions, including heavy rain, strong winds, and dense fog that reduced visibility to as little as two meters in some locations. These conditions also prevented the use of helicopters or drones during the initial search phases. Authorities have secured the site, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the crash.
Entities
Civil Protection Directorate · Croatian Civil Protection Directorate · Croatian Mountain Rescue Service · Czech Republic · Diamond Aircraft · MRCC Rijeka · Novalja · Pag Island · Paklenica National Park · Velebit · Zadar · Zadar Port Authority
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 19 SOURCES] The signal of an ultralight aircraft, registration D-KWZE, was lost on Friday, August 21, at approximately 16:14. novosadska.tv · abcportal.info · www.pravda.sk · www.info.sk · www.dnevno.hr · +10 more
- [● 19 SOURCES] The wreckage was found in a difficult-to-access area of Paklenica National Park. novosadska.tv · abcportal.info · www.pravda.sk · www.info.sk · www.jutarnji.hr · +10 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] Aerial search operations were impossible due to adverse weather conditions. www.espreso.co.rs · teleskop.hr · n1info.si · www.pravda.sk · www.info.sk
- [● 6 SOURCES] Police secured the site for an investigation to determine the circumstances of the crash. abcportal.info · radiosarajevo.ba · www.vecernji.ba · likaclub.net.hr · lavoce.hr
- [● 8 SOURCES] Visibility at the crash site was as low as two meters due to dense fog. novosadska.tv · www.jutarnji.hr · n1info.si · ezadar.net.hr
- [● 18 SOURCES] Rescuers located the wreckage and two bodies inside the aircraft around 22:00. novosadska.tv · abcportal.info · www.pravda.sk · www.info.sk · www.jutarnji.hr · +9 more