Heliport
3rd Sep 2005, 21:24
News 24 South AfricaChopper crash: Search called off
The search for a man who went missing after a helicopter crashed near the entrance of the Richards Bay Harbour has been called off, police said on Saturday. The search was called off due to bad weather and poor visibility.
Police spokesperson Captain Rene van der Westhuizen said the pilot of the helicopter and a marine pilot were rescued shortly after the crash. She said one of the men suffered spinal injuries, cracked ribs and possibly a punctured lung. The other escaped with minor injuries.
"According to an eyewitness they were winching the marine pilot from a ship when the propeller of the helicopter touched the ship and led to the crash," Van der Westhuizen said.
She said the winchman was still missing. "Police divers, search and rescue personnel and national ports authority divers will resume their search at first light on Sunday morning."
Van der Westhuizen said: "We suspect the winchman is still with the helicopter but the search had to be called off because of the poor weather."
She said the harness of the winch and some of the helicopter debris had been found late in the afternoon and divers were hoping they would be able to find the aircraft on Sunday.
Van der Westhuizen said the helicopter could not be seen because the water was about 20 to 30 feet deep.
The names of those who were involved in the helicopter crash had not yet been released.
Richards Bay Harbour, South Africa's largest port, is 160km north of Durban in Kwa Zulu Natal.
http://www.outlookchurch.co.za/img/map2.jpg
The search for a man who went missing after a helicopter crashed near the entrance of the Richards Bay Harbour has been called off, police said on Saturday. The search was called off due to bad weather and poor visibility.
Police spokesperson Captain Rene van der Westhuizen said the pilot of the helicopter and a marine pilot were rescued shortly after the crash. She said one of the men suffered spinal injuries, cracked ribs and possibly a punctured lung. The other escaped with minor injuries.
"According to an eyewitness they were winching the marine pilot from a ship when the propeller of the helicopter touched the ship and led to the crash," Van der Westhuizen said.
She said the winchman was still missing. "Police divers, search and rescue personnel and national ports authority divers will resume their search at first light on Sunday morning."
Van der Westhuizen said: "We suspect the winchman is still with the helicopter but the search had to be called off because of the poor weather."
She said the harness of the winch and some of the helicopter debris had been found late in the afternoon and divers were hoping they would be able to find the aircraft on Sunday.
Van der Westhuizen said the helicopter could not be seen because the water was about 20 to 30 feet deep.
The names of those who were involved in the helicopter crash had not yet been released.
Richards Bay Harbour, South Africa's largest port, is 160km north of Durban in Kwa Zulu Natal.
http://www.outlookchurch.co.za/img/map2.jpg