A police inspector died and two officers were injured when their police helicopter crashed into a house in Lakefield on Monday.
Operational Response Services spokesperson Director Sally de Beer said Inspector Anton van Vuuren (34), of the South African Police Service air wing in Johannesburg, died at the scene.
”The pilot, Captain Carol Crosby, was seriously injured and is in a stable condition in a Johannesburg hospital,” said De Beer. ”Another crew member, trainee pilot Inspector Vijendra Lankaser, was slightly injured.”
The helicopter had been patrolling the area next to the busy N12 highway when the accident happened.
De Beer said police are working with the Civil Aviation Authority to determine the cause of the accident.
Faheema Prajira was at home when the helicopter crashed into the roof of her neighbour’s home in Torquay Road at about 3pm.
”I heard a sound like a bang and everything started shaking,” she said.
Another resident who heard the crash and went to investigate said it sounded like a normal car accident.
”I saw this guy shouting from the roof, calling for an ambulance,” Anthony Moor said.
”The tail had broken off and most of the chopper was in the house. One woman in the helicopter was seriously injured and was hanging half out of the helicopter.
”She was in pretty bad condition, moving her arms around. One guy died just after we got there and the other one was limping a bit,” said Moor.
By late in the evening, after 8pm, curious residents were still driving by to see what had happened. — Sapa