South Africans Mourn as Body Found at Durban Beachfront Believed to Be Pilot Andrew Blackwood-Murray

• The body believed to be that of South African Airways and aerobatics pilot Andrew Blackwood-Murray has been found
• The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police have confirmed that a body has been discovered at the Durban beachfront
• It is alleged that paramedics responded to several calls about a body that washed out at the Bay of Plenty Beach

KwaZulu-Natal police are investigating the discovery of a body on Durban’s beachfront, believed to be that of missing pilot Andrew Blackwood-Murray. It is alleged that paramedics responded to several calls of a body that had washed out at the Bay of Plenty Beach on Friday night, 12 September 2025.

Body wearing flight suit found

The KZN police confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened after a body was discovered. Police said that the body that was washed out was wearing a flight suit. It is alleged that it could be the body of the pilot who crashed into the ocean last month.

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Police said that a formal identification process will be conducted to identify the deceased. The man is believed to be in his 60s and had shown no sign of life upon their arrival.

Indication of missing pilot

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) stated that the body of the deceased has been handed over to SAPS and the Government Health Forensic Pathology Services. The NSRI said that there are indications that the body is that of missing pilot Andrew Blackwood-Murray.

The NSRI stated that formal identification is to be conducted with the help of the family of the deceased. It also expressed their condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased individual.

KZN MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, stated that the discovery of the body will hopefully bring closure to the family.

Plane crash at airshow

Andrew Blackwood-Murray, 61, was reported missing after his light aircraft plunged into the ocean during an airshow off Durban’s coastline last month. The crash happened just before 2 pm on Thursday, 21 August 2025, when the ZS-AEC Extra 300 aircraft went down while performing its final display.

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Video footage on social media captured the light aircraft looping in the sky before plunging into the ocean and skidding across the water.

South Africans weigh in

Social media users shared their opinions regarding the discovery of the body.

@Jermaine Joseph said:

"Hopefully the family can get closure."

@Maurice Wilks said:

"How do they guess his age after so long in the water. And wearing a flight suit, washed up on North Beach, I'd say his ID is pretty obvious."

@Sithandiwe MaDuma Mthombeni said:

"This may bring some sort of relief to the family."

@Safiyaa Latchmiah said:

"Hoping it's the pilot. This will bring some closure to his family."

@Peter Klopper said:

"Been in the water for a month and showed no sign of life gee I wonder why RIP."

Pilot killed after aircraft accident in Lenseria airport

In another article, Briefly News reported that the pilot of an aircraft was killed after it crashed shortly after takeoff at Lanseria International Airport.

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Investigations are underway into what caused the accident at the Gauteng airport on 5 June 2025. South Africa has had a few aircraft crashes in recent years, but none that proved to be too fatal.

Source: Briefly News