Russell du Preez dies in China Heli Accident

[Gunship]

:sad: Very sad news ... one of the best engineers I have ever worked with and I am sure a lot of drivers will acknowledge that ... a sad day :sad:

I could only find this piece in the news in Afrikaans : From BEELD

n Suid-Afrikaanse vlugingenieur is dood en twee Chinese word steeds vermis nadat 'n helikopter in 'n gru-ongeluk in die hawe van Shanghai eers teen 'n vragskip gebots en toe in die Yangtzerivier neergestort het.

Die Suid-Afrikaner, mnr. Russell du Preez, het etlike jare as vlugingenieur in die Suid-Afrikaanse lugmag gedien - onder meer by 17 Eskader in Pretoria.

Die ongeluk het Vrydagoggend in stormagtige weer gebeur toe die MD900-helikopter 'n Singapoerse vragskip die hawe sou inlei.

Die Chinese kaptein van die skip was aan boord van die helikopter. Hy is een van die twee mense wat vermis word.

Die Kanadese helikoptervlieënier kon gered word.

Die departement van buitelandse sake het Vrydagmiddag die ongeluk bevestig. Volgens mnr. Ronnie Mamoepa, woordvoerder, is die Suid-Afrikaanse missie in Shanghai in verbinding met die Chinese owerheid om die omstandighede wat tot die ongeluk gelei het te bepaal.

Du Preez se familie is reeds in kennis gestel.

Die departement van buitelandse sake is besig om hulle te help om China toe te gaan sodat sy oorskot na Suid-Afrika gebring kan word.

Die Chinese nuusagentskap, Xinhua, berig dat reddingspanne Vrydag nog na die twee vermistes gesoek het.

Die helikopter het Donderdagoggend in gure weer teen die vragskip gebots.

Teen Donderdagaand is dele van die wrak opgespoor, maar die vlugopnemer kon nog nie opgespoor word nie.

Die vlugopnemer is gewoonlik uiters belangrik om te bepaal wat tot 'n vliegongeluk gelei het.

Die helikopter het met die skip gebots toe dit die skeepskaptein op die skip wou aflaai.

Volgens voormalige lugmagkollegas van Du Preez was hy een van die lugmag se mees bekwame vlugingenieurs.

Hy het in verskeie helikopter-eskaders gedien, waaronder 22 Eskader in Kaapstad en 17 Eskader in Pretoria.

Die departement van buitelandse sake het namens die Suid-Afrikaanse regering sy meegevoel met sy familie betuig.

RIP Russell - condolences to his family

[sunkist]

Very sad news indeed.

I remember our last flight together so well Russell. I am sure you did as well. The photo of you in the open air bathtub at Mudzi camp, north of Mtoko, has pride of place in my logbook.Yes, that was when we were both on loan to the Rhodesian Airforce. We did some good stuff there.Working with the best Fireforce in the world at the time, and those Selous Scouts were an unbelieveable bunch to work with,were they not, Russell. The photo was taken the afternoon before the 27/03/1976. That evening we had a feed with the brown jobs. Remember, Major's Wayne Thompson and Mike Ainslie hosted us that night.
The next day, 27/03/1976, we moved camp back to FAF Mtoko, and enroute we recieved intel. from the Scouts observation post of suspious activity in our close proximity. What a day we had that day, hey Russell. After flying over the Scouts hidden position we came under heavy and accurate AK47/RPG fire. You started wacking those terrs. like there was no tomorrow. It was a pleasure to watch you perform. You handled that 20 mil. cannon like it was strapped to your side. I think we nobbled 6 that day in our gunship,(K-KAR) with heaps wounded as well. It was a very long battle indeed.
Unfortunately, Mike Ainslie was killed in our chopper that day and I was wounded in the leg. After landing close to the contact area to transfer ourselves to one of the other 2 troop ships(G-KAR), the plan being that the swap would allow the gunship to remain in the contact area. I remember, Russell, we both decided to remain with our chopper, transfer Mike only, and returned to carry on with the firefight ourselves. And did we have some fun. After the long battle that day, you found one of the spent bullets
in our gunship and I think you wore it around your neck thereafter.
This is how I remember you Russell. That firefight of ours resulted in me, ONLY, AND UNJUSTLY, receiving the Honorus Crux Silver. I regret that you were not aknowledged as well.I have always believed and aknowledged that you were part recipient,Russell, of this award. You and me had a profound experience that day. I think about it regularly and always say a prayer for Mike Ainslie. Today, you will sadly, forever be included with Mike.
I was in Shanghai 2 weeks ago Russell. Pity we missed each other. I will shout you an amber ale today and drink to your honour. May you rest in peace. Till we meet again. Condolances to your family.
Kind regards,
Perry Childs. (To fly is human, to hover is devine.)

[Gunship]

What a great obituary sunkist – thanks for that :ok:

It reminded me of the operational sorties we had together and he was the always the professional and cool – headed type engineer / gunner that will ask the questions what will make sense and shows his care for the sortie.

It was not just a matter of going into a firefight – he wanted to know more and I always got / gave him that info to work as a team together.

A great war hero and fantastic engineer will be sorely missed by his friends and colleagues.

:sad: No more Gunssss :sad:

[Check Revs]

Well said sunkist

Always a gentleman - RIP Russell

CP

:sad:

[Deanw]

News24:


SA man missing in China

13/02/2005

Christel Raubenheimer

Johannesburg - There is doubt if a South African flight engineer, Russel du Preez, has survived a helicopter accident in China.

His daughter, Yolande du Preez, denied on Sunday that her father had died in the crash, despite the department of foreign affairs saying it has already made arrangements with the family to bring his remains back to South Africa.

The department also expressed its condolences to the family.

However, according to Yolande nobody from the department has contacted her.

"I know they are still searching for my father and the co-pilot."

She said they were trying to retrieve the helicopter wreck in heavy seas and that the water where it crashed was very deep.

Apparently the helicopter crashed when the tail rotor of the craft broke, which made the helicopter go into a spin.

Hit a freighter

It is believed that the accident occurred in stormy weather and the helicopter crashed into the side of a Singapore-registered freighter before it fell into the sea.

"At this stage everything is mere speculation," Yolande said.

Du Preez and the rest of the crew were busy letting down the ship's captain to his vessel when the accident happened.

Yolande claimed that the accident did not occur in the Shanghai harbour, as was initially reported.

The helicopter had to fly for 25 minutes before it reached the area where the accident happened, she said.

According to Yolande, the pilot, who survived the accident but was seriously inured, is tremendously emotional.

Du Preez's wife, Olga, is also in China, where the couple have been living since December.

http://www.news24.com/Images/Photos/2005021409301014-helicopter.jpg

[Gunship]

So sad to see the press stuffing it up.

Then again it must be hard to swallow for his daughter and denial is part of that sad thing called death ... :sad:

Condolences Olga and Yolande

[Sgt.Peppeh]

Re: Russell du Preez dies in China Heli Accident

May his brave soul Rest In perfect Peace.

To fly indeed is human,to hover is devine and to die with such diginity in the line of duty is most commendable.

sincerest sympathy to the family.


Sarge.
:sad:

[marc perkins]

I had very limited dealings with Russel, while he serviced a Starlight Alo 111 for us in Cape Town. Nevertheless my experience was a trully pleasant one. He was always polite and friendly with a calm professional disposition.

RIP Russell

"Keep your Revs up fellow the moon is Yellow tonight"

[Teignmouth]

Believe this link might take you to a picture of the helicopter concerned

http://www.aeroboek.nl/900/00109.HTM