Mission Aviation Fellowship is deeply saddened to confirm the death of one of our pilots in a road traffic accident in Australia's Northern Territory on Wednesday morning (Australian time).
MAF pilot Chris Coffee was killed and another MAF pilot was injured as they travelled to work at Gove Airport in Arnhem Land. Northern Territory Police said a 4WD, that the pilots were travelling in, was involved in a head-on collision near Yirrkala with a car that had been reported stolen. Occupants of that car also died in the crash.
Chris, an Australian national, had been working in Arnhem Land since May 2023 and had recently become Deputy Director of the programme. Chris (36) is survived by his wife and three young children.
MAF International CEO Dave Fyock paid tribute to the enthusiasm Chris had to serve others.
“Chris had a heart for the people of Arnhem Land and a deep sense of calling that was consistently evident in conversation and the way he served,” he said.
“He loved to combine his passion to be a pilot with a strong desire to serve by bringing help, hope and healing through aviation to some of Australia's most isolated communities.
“Our team in Arnhem Land and the wider MAF family are hurting deeply at such a tragic loss, and we pray for comfort and peace for all affected.”
MAF pilot Simon Zingg, a Swiss national who was a passenger in the vehicle driven by Chris, suffered minor injuries. Simon (38) joined MAF's Arnhem Land programme in December 2023. He moved to MAF's training centre at Mareeba where he gained experience before beginning work as a pilot in Arnhem Land.
He was taken to Gove District Hospital where he is in a stable condition.
Flight operations in Arnhem Land have been suspended for the rest of this week and will only resume when the team is ready.