The 'Helderberg'

[The Ant]

The 'Helderberg' incident has once again reared it's ugly head! Obviously something suspicious lurks beneath the ocean around Mauritius. As I see it, there are two parts to this whole thing. One, suspicious equipment and/or substances were being carried, I dont think one can argue that point. The fire was not necessarily caused by said cargo, but the presence of said cargo is what prevented the sensible diversion to somewhere in India! The aircraft could easily have made it onto the ground before the explosion.
One must remember that in those days, SAA pilot's were poorly paid civil servants, with no other work options, no pilot's association and no industrial protection. The pressure on a senior captain to do as he was told or risk his pension would have been huge!
The individuals who forced him to keep flying need to be brought to book, when everthing in his training would have said "Land at the nearest suitable airfield"!

[This message has been edited by The Ant (edited 28 May 2000).]

[Was that for us?]

THE ANT
Ugly yes. Suspicious yes. Fire yes.Cover up yes.Tragic yes.
But continue to fly with a craft on fire because your scared of your job.Get real.
SAA pilots were are just as keen to live a long as possible as the rest of us sane people.

[The Ant]

I am afraid it is a big bad world out there! The whole incident about the 'Helderberg' is centered around the fact that the Captain chose not to divert with a burning aeroplane. Why? The missing tape covers the very conversation between the airline and defence industry bosses at the time and the Captain of the aircraft. His widow has subsequently come forward with the fact that she too was threatened with her livelyhood. The evil that men do!

[The Guvnor]

It's very simple, guys. Remember, in those days, SA was a country at war and - much like being in the SAAF - it was your patriotic duty to obey orders, not ask questions and press on. Ours but to do or die (well, die in this case).

Capt Dawie Uys was deliberately selected for this particular flight and briefed beforehand on what he was carrying. He was a member of the Broederbond, and that - and Mickey Mitchell - meant he was just hanging onto his job by the tips of his fingers as he had failed no less than three sim checks in the previous six months. Incidentally, after the crash those records were also removed - I was informed about them by the individual who wrote them.

The story of what *really* happened is covered at:
http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/Forum1/HTML/007945.html
and http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/Forum1/HTML/008083.html

This will come out eventually - a lot of people (especially the 'old guard' at SAA) know all the details, but the current government will be as keen as the previous one to keep it quiet. Why else do you think the TRC investigation into it was conducted in camera?

------------------
:) Happiness is a warm L1011 :)

[This message has been edited by The Guvnor (edited 29 May 2000).]

[The Ant]

I must agree with the Guvnor on this one. I checked the other threads, why was the first one terminated?

The crazy thing is that the illegitimate cargo being carried probably had nothing to do with the fire! But that's life for you.

The fact is that the aircraft was ORDERED to keep going with a smouldering fire in the cargo hold! What it had on board is besides the point.

Those who gave those orders must be brought to book.

[The Guvnor]

The Helderberg at AMS, May 1986
http://www.airliners.net/photos/big/Z/ZSSAS.jpg

------------------
:) Happiness is a warm L1011 :)