Originally Posted by WorkHorse
What was the reaction to the crash by the SA Govt and the Americans?
Well, obviously the reaction was denial the entire time after they got past the initial "terrible loss" hype on the SA side. No one wants to 'own up' to responsibility in this kind of catastrophic event. The Americans remained quiet and continue to do so, I think it has something to do with the recovery of part of the 'cargo' from the ocean floor. It's my understanding that a Seal team went in, contracted under the CIA working with Sonne to excavate the remains and to 'lose' what needed to be lost.
Diego Garcia would have monitored everything during the flight and would have known exactly where the plane went down and what transpired between Taiwan and the final explosion/accident, but that info isn't soon to surface either, as it has national security connotations. The 'company' isn't going to admit to what they recovered and Armscor and the SA government aren't going to admit to what they lost.
What the real problem with this investigation is, is that everyone attached was culpable and they were all involved criminally. Hence, how do you get anyone to come right if they know once they do, they will be charged with a criminal offence and then probably ostresized for the rest of their lives. It would appear, Armscor and the SA government planned this one very well. The activity of the US appears to be just cleanup and nuclear material (u238) recovery.
If the US would make the surviellance records available, it would answer a number of questions pertaining to the 'alleged first fire' and would provide direct hard copy evidence of the communications between Pretoria, Joburg and the plane.
Finally, I received independent analysis of the debris field. As it appears the plane veered 90 degrees to NNW/N on a 30 degree bank and was traveling perpendicular to the original flight path when she came apart. The debris field looks like the plane was carrying at least one high powered explosive at either the front or the rear of the wing root (probably the front). This would have severed the wings, ignited them and blown them back and outwards, which is consistent with the debris pattern. Much of the fuselage would have been destroyed in the initial blast. But nothing is confirmed, I need photographs of the reconstruction of the Helderberg at Jan Smuts and video/photographs from the UW-ROV's so I can match up this information and have it confirmed So, right now this is supposition.
Meckanic