5 dead after SAPS plane crash at Rand Airport
Five members of the South African Police Service have been confirmed dead after their aircraft crashed at the Rand Airport, Germiston on Tuesday afternoon.
The pilot has been critically injured and taken to a hospital.
“On board were five passengers and a pilot. All five passengers have sadly lost their lives. The pilot is critically injured and has been taken to a nearby hospital for further medical care,” said police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe.
Mathe said authorities are on scene to establish the cause of the accident.
“The details of the deceased and injured pilot will be released once their next of kin have been informed,” Mathe added.
A source in the emergency services said six people were on board when a SAPS PC-6 Turbo Porter aircraft crashed shortly after taking off the runway at Rand Airport
He said one person is in critical condition and was airlifted to the hospital.
Sisa Majola, spokesperson of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) confirmed they are aware of the accident they are still compiling a statement.
She later added that the SACAA would not be investigating the crash as it involved a SAPS aircraft.
The SAPS will conduct its own in-house investigation into the deadly Rand Airport plane crash that claimed the lives of at least five people.
Police spokesperson Colonel Athlande Mathe said the SAPS had reported the fatal crash to the South African Civil Aviation Authority, but that an internal board compromising technical staff would investigate the accident.
Mathe also said there were two SAPS members on board the aircraft, including the pilot. He is said to be in a stable condition after having been airlifted to hospital.
She said the other four deceased were technicians who were in service to the SAPS, providing aircraft maintenance.
Speaking to SABC News late on Tuesday night, Mathe said: “All investigations are in-house. We have in-house investigators who will be investigating the crash.”
She also said the SAPS had opened an inquest docket at the Germiston police station.
“We have the capacity in-house to investigate this crash,” she said.
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