Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu has confirmed that the Director of Criminal Investigations Department SSP Mesake Waqa, the Force Pathologist and a forensic team are enroute to the crash site in Delaikoro, Labasa to conduct the first phase of investigations.

ASP Tudravu says officers of the joint search team guarded the scene last night and once the Director and his investigation team arrive at the site, a decision will be made on when and where the post mortem examination of the two victims will be conducted.

The decision he says will be made by the Director CID SSP Waqa on site based on the state of the victims’ bodies.

The Commissioner adds this is a sensitive case and decisions made will be based on the ground situation.

He adds that all the matters pertaining to the investigation and the uplifting of the two victims’ bodies is being relayed to the victim’s families
The bodies of the Pilot Instructor Iliesa Tawalo and Trainee Pilot Merelesita Lutu were overnight under guard by RFMF officers and Police.

FBC News understands the National Fire Authority’s Rescue Squad has also been brought in to assist with the extraction operation.

Independent investigator Andrew McGregor is expected to also be on route to Labasa to assess the accident site.

The Cessna 172 training aircraft was reported missing on Monday at around 12.30pm.

On board the aircraft were Tawalo and Lutu who were on their way from Labasa to Savusavu where they were scheduled to land.

However, due to the bad weather, they were unable to land in Savusavu and were returning to Labasa when it was reported they lost communication with the control tower and are now believed to have being involved in an accident.