To all the Boys and girls flying in Sudan.
In light of the deafening silence from our own Intel people re this situation this morning, we might as well pass this around on the pprune.
BY MOHAMMAD OSMAN, Associated Press Writer
36 minutes ago
KHARTOUM, Sudan - An aid helicopter for the U.N.-African Union mission in Darfur was shot down outside a refugee camp on Monday (today), killing all four crew members and scattering debris over a half-mile, Sudanese police and the U.N. said.
Police Gen. Hashim Ibrahim Fadul al-Mawla said the helicopter was shot down in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur. The helicopter was operated by a private company and hired by UNAMID to carry relief materials to Muhajiria from Nyala.
UNAMID spokesman Ahmed Salah said the crash killed the Russian pilots of the helicopter, which belonged to the Sudanese Supreme Company and was contracted to deliver food aid. Salah did not say whether the aircraft came under fire before it went down near the Kalama refugee camp. Two crew members died immediately while two others died later at the hospital.
The governor of South Darfur, Ali Mahmoud, told the Sudan News Agency that witnesses reported the helicopter caught fire mid-flight and burned before hitting the ground
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This Kalma place where the helo went down is only 3 miles south of the Nyala airport. approx radial 120' NYL. Reccomend keep the circuits to the North and fly short tight appraoches tomorrow.
Y'all be carefull out there now !