LYDENBURG – The two members of the South African Air Force who miraculously survived Tuesday’s aircraft crash in which three of their colleagues were killed, will be transferred to a Gauteng hospital today.
Sgt C.B. Mabusela (36) and Corporal G.D. Ramasilo (47) were being treated in Mediclinic Nelspruit after the Cessna Caravan crashed in the Misty Mountain area. Maj Tsepo Malia (37), Capt Francois Hugo (27) and Capt Marcelino Wembie (28) were declared dead on the scene and their bodies had to be freed from the wreckage. The five were members of 41 Squadron at Air Force Base Waterkloof in Pretoria.
Workers of York Timber saw the SAAF Cessna C208 Caravan just before it plummeted into a nearby hillside just before 10:00 that day. They recalled hearing a loud noise and called one of their supervisors to inform him of the crash.
Mabusela and Ramasilo were flown to Mediclinic Nelspruit with two aircraft of Working on Fire. No members of the public, private paramedics or media were allowed at the crash site. Hoedspruit Military Force arrived with an Oryx helicopter at the scene just after 13:00 to start with its investigation.
Ms Robyn Baard, spokesman for Mediclinic, yesterday described Mabusela and Ramasilo’s conditions as stable and said they were to be transferred to a hospital in Gauteng.
An employee of Lakeview Lodge who wished to remain anonymous, told Lowvelder that 95 members of the South African Defence Force (SANDF) had booked in at the lodge for training purposes on June 7. They were to leave this Sunday.
The SANDF has issued very little information about the accident. According to one of their media statements, the Cessna Caravan formed part of 41 Squadron that had participated in an operations training camp in the region. “A preliminary investigation is convened, that will be followed by a board of enquiry, to determine the cause of the accident.”
When journalists wanted to visit the scene the following day, they were again denied access to the site. Heavily armed soldiers stood guard at the wreckage, preventing any unauthorised access.
Local Fire and Rescue Hazmat operator, Mr Deon Broekman, said it had taken them about an hour and a half to cut out the bodies from the wreckage.
Lowvelder contacted Brig Gen Xolani Mabanga of the SANDF to enquire why journalists were not allowed to take any photos of the wreckage. He told the newspaper he was not certain why photos were not allowed or whether the taking of them would carry any implications possibly hindering the investigation.
He couldn’t say when the investigation would be completed. “It all depends on the circumstances of the investigation.”
Lowvelder had also learnt that the remaining four SAAF Cessna C208 Caravan aircraft were currently grounded in Mbombela. Mabanga told the newspaper that some of the activities at the training camp have been suspended due to the unfortunate event of the crash. “We cannot carry on with the exercise as there are critical issues that first need to be attended to.”
