On Thursday, fire and rescue teams descended on an area between Ladysmith and Colenso, in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), where a Netcare helicopter crashed.
Colenso helicopter crash: What we know so far
According to reports, the helicopter was carrying four passengers and a pilot when it plummeted from the sky.
We can now confirm that Dr Kgopotso Rudolph Mononyane, Dr Curnick Siyabonga Mahlangu, specialist theatre nurse Mpho Xaba, paramedic Sinjin Joshua Farrance and pilot Mark Stoxreiter all died in the crash.
Dr Mononyane tried to save Mthembu’s life
More details trickled through and in a gut-wrenching twist of fate, it was discovered that Dr Mononyane had tried to save Presidency Minister Jackson Mthembu’s life shortly before the crash.
“One of the doctors who has passed away in the crash was actually called by a friend, Dr Paul Williams, to come and assist to save minister Jackson during that difficult time. He dropped the trip; he was supposed to go to KwaZulu-Natal. And then his team waited [and] delayed his flight. He came back [to help Mthembu]. They worked very hard. Dr Kgopotso Rudolph Mononyane, a cardiothoracic anaesthetist, he came together [with other doctors] to do everything they could to support minister Jackson.
“And of course, unfortunately, on his way out, as he was flying out, he had a fatal accident,” Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize revealed.
Colleagues and other EMS personnel gathered outside Milpark Hospital to pay tribute to the crash victims in what was an emotional scene.
HUNDREDS OF EMS PERSONNEL PAID THEIR RESPECTS & A FLY PAST IN HONOUR OF THE FALLEN HEROS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE CHOPPER CRASH IN KZN : MILPARK HOSPITAL. COJ. GP. RIP HERO'S . MAY GOD REST YOUR SOULS. . @Netcare911_sa @cci_network pic.twitter.com/s8APOkxSkE
— REZA (@crimeairnetwork) January 21, 2021
Here’s footage of the crash scene in flames, shortly after the helicopter plummeted from the sky.
Chopper down Colenso KZN. pic.twitter.com/fB0BK3Z1y6
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) January 21, 2021