Copter tragedy: Victims named

2003-06-09 12:04

Nelspruit/Johannesburg - Mobile telephone services provider Cell C released the names of six people killed when a helicopter chartered by the company crashed in dense woodland near Graskop in Mpumalanga on Sunday.

The victims were: Cell C sales director, Ruco Durand, and his wife, Yvette; Nashua Mobile managing director, Simon Herbert, and his wife, Kelly; Click & Call managing director, Jarren Koppel and the helicopter pilot, Louis Nel.

Speaking from Graskop on Monday, Cell C CEO Talaat Laham said that the loss of life was tragic.

"It's been devastating for those of us who were friends and colleagues of the people who died. It's all the more harrowing for their families - and our hearts go out to them."

Laham thanked all those involved in the rescue effort for "doing an exceptional job, working in difficult terrain in failing light".

"We are trying to piece things together. Only then will we know what the cause of the crash was," said Sibusiso Machomane, the Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) general manager of safety and structure.

Cell C spokesperson Moira Sheridan said staff at the company were shocked at the news of the crash. "This is something that one does not expect and doesn't know how to prepare for. Our hearts go to the families of those who died in the crash," said Sheridan, who sounded shaken when Sapa spoke to her on Monday morning.

The helicopter was chartered by Cell C and was returning to Johannesburg from a company workshop at Earth Lodge in Sabi Sabi. Cell C chairperson and chief executive Talaat Laham travelled to the site of the crash on Sunday night.

The SA Police Service from Graskop, a CAA search and rescue team, the SA Airforce, Sappi forest rangers and paramedics from the Graskop traffic department have been involved in the recovery efforts. - Sapa/I-Net Bridge

- SAPA