Following the Rand Airport tragedy, where five people died on Tuesday, police have confirmed that one of the deceased was a police officer, while the rest were technicians from a company contracted to service and maintain SAPS helicopters.
Police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said: “On board the Pilatus Porter PC 6 were six people: two of them police members and the rest were technicians from a company contracted to service and maintain SAPS helicopters.”
He explained that the aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from the Rand Airport in Germiston just after 2.30pm.
Warrant Officer Willem Erasmus, a SAPS airborne law enforcement officer with 29 years of service, died at the scene. He was an airborne law enforcement officer (ALEO), responsible for providing air support during crime prevention as well as Search and Rescue (SAR) operations.
Captain Casper Swanepoel, the sole survivor of the crash, sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving medical care in hospital.
Mathe said on Wednesday, management met with the families of the two police members and the representatives of the company that employed the four deceased technicians.
Acting National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili has on behalf of the SAPS sent her condolences to all affected families and wished the pilot, a speedy recovery.
“This tragedy happens on the eve of the SAPS annual National Commemoration Day as we prepare to honour 33 police officers and reservists who died in the line of duty in the 2021/2022 financial year. Let’s allow investigations to unfold to be able to get to the bottom of what led to this tragedy. Our sincerest condolences to the affected families and we are wishing the pilot a speedy recovery”, said Lt Gen Mosikili.
A Board of Inquiry has been set up to investigate the cause of the accident.
“An inquest docket has also been registered to determine the cause of death of the five deceased,” said Mathe.
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