Garang death blamed on pilot

KHARTOUM – An official probe into the helicopter crash that killed former south Sudanese leader John Garang last year concluded the pilot was to blame, a member of the investigation panel said yesterday.

Siraj al-Din Hamid told reporters in Khartoum that the final report was submitted to Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir on Tuesday night and could be officially published on April 14. He said one of the main causes of the helicopter crash on July 30, 2005 was the pilot’s insistence to apply visual flying rules in bad weather.He also cited the lack of adequate planning, poor knowledge of the area and the failure by the pilot and co-pilot to make the right decisions in rough weather as contributing factors.- Nampa-AFPHe said one of the main causes of the helicopter crash on July 30, 2005 was the pilot’s insistence to apply visual flying rules in bad weather.He also cited the lack of adequate planning, poor knowledge of the area and the failure by the pilot and co-pilot to make the right decisions in rough weather as contributing factors.- Nampa-AFP