CAPE TOWN, March 23 (AGCNewsNet) – A tragic plane crash at South Africa’s West Coast Air Show has claimed the life of pilot James O'Connell after his Impala Mark 1 aircraft spiraled out of control and plummeted to the ground during a routine display.

The accident occurred on March 22 in Saldanha, about 110 km north of Cape Town. Eyewitnesses reported a sudden loss of altitude during one of the final maneuvers before the aircraft crashed.

Emergency responders arrived swiftly, but the wreckage was engulfed in flames, leaving no chance of survival. Video footage from the event showed the aircraft spinning mid-air before impact.

Event organizers confirmed the pilot’s death in a statement and expressed condolences to his family. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.

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