Skydive crash families vent their grief

Families of the nine people who died in a skydiving plane crash at Fox Glacier have spoken of their grief and anger nearly two years later.

"It's clear that those who died on 4 September, 2010 were a diverse and talented group of individuals," Coroner Richard McElrea said as an inquest started in Greymouth on Monday.

Pilot Chaminda Senadhira, dive-masters Adam Bennett, Michael Suter, Christopher McDonald, Rodney Miller and overseas tourists Glenn Bourke, Patrick Byrne, Annita Kirsten, and Brad Coker died when the plane they were in crashed shortly after take-off.

The inquest heard statements from family members and eye witnesses, and was briefed on a Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) report.

Eye witnesses, including the partner of one of the deceased, spoke of how quickly the Walter Fletcher FU24 aircraft was engulfed in flames.

"Our young beautiful and talented daughter was burnt alive," Ms Kirsten's parents Susanne Kirsten and Werner Schmidt-Kirsten said in a statement read to the inquest.

They called on "those still alive to stand up and tell the truth".

Mr Byrne's brother, Mark, said his family felt the lack of regulatory control was a major factor in the crash.

"We are angry and upset over the lack of accountability for the plane crash. We can only hope lessons are learnt from this incident."

Karen Bourke, the mother of Australian Glenn Bourke, said her son was on a trip of a life time and had every right to be safe.

The family of Brad Coker said Mr Coker was on a world tour with his girlfriend Hayley and they expected him to announce engagement plans when he returned to England.

"We will never recover. We were looking forward to a marriage and grandchildren, plans about now, not an inquest".

His last email home had ended with the words "don't worry we're keeping safe".

TAIC found the plane was overloaded and out of balance, and that two of the skydiving instructors had cannabis in their systems.

A parachutist regulator did not have any concerns about the operator, Skydive New Zealand, but did not have authority over the aircraft, the inquest heard.