Search underway for missing pilot after plane crash in Slovenia

Authorities reported that the aircraft, a Mooney Ovation M20R, lost communication around 9:30 am. It then spiraled downward from an altitude of 2,500 meters before crashing into a cabin owned by the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Ljubljana.

Irfan Beganovic from the Criminal Police Sector of the Ljubljana Police Administration stated that rescue teams are searching for one person, but the pilot’s identity has not yet been officially confirmed.

“All emergency services are on the ground, and we are doing everything we can to determine the cause of the accident. Pieces of the aircraft have been found at the crash site,” Beganovic said.

Search efforts have been hindered by poor weather conditions. Investigators noted that a helicopter was able to take off two hours ago, delivering crucial equipment to aid the investigation.

Firefighters from PGD Kamniska Bistrica reported that the plane severely damaged the cabin, splitting it in half. Some parts of the aircraft, including a wing and a wheel, were discovered inside the structure.

“Thermal imaging cameras detected a warm object, which we assumed to be the aircraft’s engine,” the firefighters stated in a social media update.

Investigators suspect that the cockpit may have ended up in the basement of the cabin, which has been structurally compromised and could collapse at any moment. Due to safety concerns, emergency responders have not yet been able to enter the building.

Debris from both the plane and the cabin was found scattered within a 50-meter radius. Search and rescue teams remain on-site, working to recover any additional wreckage and locate the missing pilot.