Fire and emergency rescue services have descended on an area on the N2 highway in Umgeni, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) where a helicopter carrying passengers crashed, on Monday morning.
Helicopter crash in Umgeni: What’s the latest?
Scenes from the area of the crash were posted on social media by a number of reporters, where a helicopter was submerged in a river that runs along the national highway.
JUST IN: A helicopter has crashed near the Umgeni River, on the N2. The helicopter is submerged in the river. The crew is believed to be entrapped in the reckage and a rescue mission is underway to retrieve them.
— Nabeelah Shaikh (@Nabeelah_Shaikh) May 3, 2021
Rescuers are on site.
: ALS Paramedics pic.twitter.com/z7jDOuB7CH
While details around the incident are still sketchy, we can confirm that two bodies believed to be that of the pilot and a passenger, were retrieved from the debris.
All we know, at this stage, is that the victims were aged between 30 and 40 years old. It remains unclear, at this juncture, where the helicopter was headed and who its occupants were.
UPDATE: Paramedics have confirmed that the bodies of two people believed to be the pilot and co-pilot have been retrieved. They're between the ages of 30 to 40-years-old. #DurbanHelicopterCrash pic.twitter.com/lsHVynMPJq
— Nabeelah Shaikh (@Nabeelah_Shaikh) May 3, 2021
At the time this article was published, rescue officials were clearing up the wreckage. From what we understand, the helicopter crash has not affected traffic in Umgeni.
This is a developing story.