KwaZulu-Natal minister of agriculture Lindumusa Ndabandana and five others who had to be rescued from the Drakensberg mountains after their helicopter made an emergency landing on Saturday were found unharmed, his department said on Monday.
”The group were rescued from the Drakensberg mountains at 8am by a team from the South African National Defence Force [SANDF] and arrived in Durban earlier today,” departmental spokesperson Dr Jabulani Jwara said.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Vish Naidoo said bad weather had forced the helicopter to make an emergency landing when the group was on its way to attend the funeral of a five-year-old boy at a Bergville farm.
An SANDF doctor reported that although the six were found depressed, tired and hungry, they are currently doing well and are unharmed, Jwara said.
Jwara said the minister is in good spirits.
”The MEC is resting at home and is expected return to work tomorrow.”
A team had hiked up the mountain to take food and blankets to the pilot and crew on Sunday night, but had to call off the mission due to inclement weather, Premier S’bu Ndebele said in a media statement.
Two South African Broadcasting Corporation news staff members were also among the group.
Jwara said further details on the condition of the rest of the group would be released later on Monday. — Sapa