Personnel at Fochville Hospital had an unusual experience on Monday when they received unexpected visitors.
According to the hospital’s manager, Ms Annett Venter, personnel were busy with routine tasks at the hospital when
they suddenly heard the loud noise of a helicopter coming in to land. It soon became apparent that the Oryx helicopter, which belongs to the South African National Defence Force, had landed on the hospital’s helicopter pad.
The pilot and flight engineer explained to personnel that they were on their way from Cape Town to Pretoria via
Bloemfontein when the weather got too bad to proceed. Because it had been circling for some time, in search of a
suitable landing spot, it was also short of fuel.
The hospital personnel quickly got permission from Mr Ockert Brits, who heads the hospital’s board, for the helicopter to park there overnight. They also organised accommodation at a local guest house for the pilot and flight engineer while the security personnel of CPI Security guarded the helicopter through the night. According to Venter,
many Fochville residents who had heard that the helicopter had landed at the hospital went to have a look at it.
She added that the pilot and flight engineer thanked the hospital staff sincerely for assisting them in their time
of need. They were also very grateful to Brits, who arranged with a local businessman, Mr Danie Pretorius of Master
Drilling, for the helicopter to refuel at the private airfield outside town.
‘They had impeccable manners and even made a special flip over the hospital to say goodbye before leaving,’ she
says.
Venter said this was the first time in recent years that such an occurrence had taken place at the hospital.
A similar incident took place more than 30 years ago when a huge Puma helicopter from the former South African
Defence Force unexpectedly landed at the hospital with the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pik Botha.
