Investigations have commenced into the Tzaneen plane crash tragedy in Limpopo, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said on Tuesday.
Indications so far are that the two Albatross aircraft carrying six and seven passengers respectively, caught fire after crashing into the Mamotswiri peak, CAA spokeswoman Phindiwe Gwebu said.
"Investigators will now begin collecting what is needed from the wreckage on Mamotswiri Peak. That will then be taken to authorities for testing."
The bodies of 13 people, including two children, were found among the wreckage on Tuesday morning.
Those on board the first plane, ZU MMI, were pilot Brian Gruar and passengers Marrion Anderson, Maddison and Alexandra Doak, Tess Spence, Louise Warden and Kevin Woolacott.
On board the second plane, ZS NJX, were pilot Peter Gildenhuys, and passengers Stuart and Peter van Oldenburg, Frans Dely, Marietjie de Witt, and Linda Pierce. Dely was a well-known Johannesburg aviation photographer.
Their ages were not immediately available.
Gwebu said post mortems on the victims were being conducted. The authority would also check on the validity of the pilots flying the aircraft.
Investigations could take from six months to a year. "A preliminary report could be made before then," she said.
The aircraft took off from Tzaneen airport at 10.30am on Sunday, after participating in the Tzaneen air show. Both planes were bound for Rand Airport in Johannesburg, when it was reported missing at 1.30pm on the same day.
Search and Rescue SA spokesman Johnny Smith said the crash site was discovered by a police helicopter at 8.15am on Tuesday. Bad weather and low cloud conditions initially hampered the search on Monday.
Mopani District municipal mayor Joshua Matlou said earlier that the planes were flying in formation when they crashed at an altitude of 1570 metres.
"They flew directly into the cliff. There was no mid-air collision," he said.
There was also no mayday broadcast before the crash and indications were that the occupants of both planes died on impact.
Limpopo police spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said police and the CAA would work together during investigations.
Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele thanked search and rescue teams, as well as volunteers involved in the search and rescue operation.
A crisis centre has been set up at Rand airport to assist the families affected by the tragedy. Mulaudzi said families of the victims were receiving trauma counselling.
