A pilot died in a plane crash seven years after cheating death in a mid-air collision.
Sorin Bochiș was killed and his passenger was seriously injured when their ultralight aircraft crashed into a meadow.
He showed no signs of life when emergency responders arrived at the crash site yesterday (15 Jul).
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Medics attempted to resuscitate him but were ultimately forced to declare him dead at the scene.
His passenger — a 31-year-old man — was unconscious but was stabilised and rushed to a local A&E.
The two-seater recreational aircraft broke apart on impact in Orăștie, north west of Bucharest, Romania.
Sorin, 59, of Becicherecu Mic, near Timișoara, came from a family of aviators.
He had served as a military pilot, flying supersonic fighter jets like the MiG-21 and MiG-23, before spending many years in civil aviation.
He and his passenger had taken off from Timiș County, heading for the Săulești Airfield, as reported by Need To Know.
A fellow pilot told local media the aircraft may have clipped a zipline cable while flying over a waterpark near the crash site.
“When you’re in the air, you just can’t see them. That’s why high-voltage lines have those marker balls. But zipline cables can’t be marked like that,” he explained.
Eyewitnesses at the amusement park said the aircraft — believed to be an Aerospool WT9 Dynamic — circled several times at very low altitude before going down.
In 2018, Sorin was involved in a serious mid-air collision in Frătăuții Vechi, Suceava County, just before an airshow.
The other pilot, 60-year-old Cornel Marinescu – who was part of the same aerobatic team – was killed in the crash.
Sorin was left in a coma, suffering multiple fractures and internal injuries.
Four months later, he shared an update on social media saying he had recovered.
He wrote: “It’s been a while since we last saw or heard from each other.
“I’ve come to understand that the past four months have been some of the most difficult of my life – truly a time of crisis.
“I also know that you were there for me, and that your prayers were heard and answered by the good Lord…
“There aren’t enough words to express how grateful and happy I am that you stood by my side through it all and gave me the strength to overcome these health challenges.”
Both Sorin and his passenger worked for a company that provides aerial spraying services for large-scale farming, according to local media.
A spokesperson for Orăștie City Hall said: “Authorities will continue their investigation to determine the cause of the crash.”
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