SANDF A109 chopper down in Kruger Park South Africa

The SANDF chopper (Augusta A109) was on an anti-rhino poaching mission. 🙁

RIP and condolences.

Johannesburg – The SA National Defence Force on Monday released the names of the five soldiers who died in a helicopter crash in the Kruger National Park.

“It is with sadness that the SANDF announces the names of the members who were in a fatal helicopter crash,” the department of defence said in a statement.

The soldiers were: Captain Jacobus Andries van Rensburg; Captain MP Chabalala; Sergeant Paulus Shongela Ndishishi; Sergeant GP Ruiters and Lance Corporal Bheki Petros Cele.

On Saturday night, a helicopter conducting a scheduled aerial patrol of the Kruger National Park – as part of an anti-rhino poaching operation – crashed, killing the five SANDF members on board.

The SANDF said a preliminary investigation was currently underway to establish the sequence of events that led to the crash.

Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Chief of the SANDF, General Solly Shoke, and Chief of the SA Air Force, Lieutenant General Zimpande Msimang expressed their heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the soldiers.

Source : http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Kruger-helicopter-crash-victims-named-20130401