Australian science to miss plane crash victim

Another Top Scientist Killed

ABC News Online

May 9, 2005

The death of Canberra man David Banks in Saturday's far north Queensland plane crash has been described as a great loss to Australian science.

Dr Banks was the principal scientist with Biosecurity Australia and was working on Cape York Peninsula on the northern Australian quarantine strategy.

The plane crash on Cape York killed all 15 people on board. The Metroliner crashed and exploded near Lockhart River.

A spokesman from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, David Finlayson, says Dr Banks commanded enormous respect from his peers.

"He is very much a professional and a very likeable person who has developed numerous links throughout this region, within Australia and with near neighbours to the north and those in the Pacific," he said.