A ZAMBIAN Air Force trainer plane crashed at a farm west of Lusaka yesterday, killing ZAF Deputy Commander Major General Muliokela Muliokela and Colonel Brian Mweene who were flying the aircraft.
Minister of Defence Edgar Lungu confirmed the accident, and said,
“It is with a heavy heart and a lot of regret that I want to announce that today between 12h30 and 13h30 a ZAF SAAB MFI-15 trainer aircraft was involved in an accident killing both pilots on board. Investigations have been instituted into the matter to establish the cause of the accident and meanwhile we are in the process of trying to inform the next of kin of the two gentlemen,” Lungu said.
The minister said the plane crashed in the Westwood area. According to an eyewitness, Miyoba Mwiinga, scores of people rushed to the scene with the hope of rescuing the victims.
Farm workers rushed to the scene while passers-by jumped over an electric wire fence to gain access to the accident scene. He said the plane started losing altitude and almost crashed into a roadside market on Mumbwa Road. It however regained momentum but still flew low, almost knocking down electricity poles before it went up again.
Mwiinga said while the plane was still in the air, its engine went off and it nosedived, crashing at the farm.
“We rushed to the scene before anyone came to the area. We found people had died and pieces of the plane scattered around,” Mwiinga said.
Later, the ZAF cordoned off the area and people could only watch from a distance. In January, ealier this year, two ZAF officers died after their FA 528 SAB Aircraft crashed around Kabanje Bwiketo Village in Livingstone.
In March 2013, a ZAF pilot died and his co-pilot was injured after their Z9 helicopter crashed upon landing at Lusaka City Airport. In December 2012, a ZAF crew and senior government officials that included President Michael Sata’s press secretary, George Chellah, escaped injury after their helicopter crash-landed in Shiwangandu area of Muchinga Province.
– Mwebantu New Media
