MTN names missing-plane staff
2007-05-06 17:55
Johannesburg - The MTN Group has announced that four MTN Cameroon staff were involved in the Kenya Airways flight that is feared to have crashed in the south of Douala, Cameroon.
The Kenya Airways plane with 114 people on board went missing on Saturday while en route to Nairobi.
The plane has not yet been found.
The MTN Group got permission from families of the staff members to announce the names.
The staff who were on the flight were MTN Cameroon CEO Campbell Utton, Cameroon CFO Sarah Stewart and her husband, Adam James Stewart, company secretary Patrick Njamfa and network engineer Patrice Enam.
The staff were travelling to South Africa on company business.
Provided communication equipment
MTN Group president and CEO Phuthuma Nhleko, who is on his way back from a business trip abroad said they were in constant contact with Kenya Airways, the department of foreign affairs in South Africa and other relevant authorities.
He said: "To support the rescue operation in Cameroon, MTN has provided communication equipment and transport facilities to the rescue teams.
Through one of our partners, we have also secured a fully equipped air ambulance that will assist with emergency evacuation."
The company was awaiting further information from Kenya Airways and the crisis centre in Cameroon.
Meanwhile, ABB South Africa also released a statement saying two of its employees and a subcontractor were aboard the Kenya Airways plane.
They are ABB employees Gerard Kanda and Cornelius Hermanus van der Westhuizen, and Hans Peter Weder, sub-contractor.
Carlos Pone, CEO of ABB South Africa, said: "We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of this tragedy. Our thoughts are with the next of kin at this time of grief and sorrow."
Other South Africans on the flight are: Charles January, Profert Trading; Gordon Wright, Chevron; Conrad van der Westhuizen and Danny Barnard.