Durban - The families of the medics and the pilot who died in a Netcare helicopter crash in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands last week will visit the crash site on Wednesday for a private ceremony.
In a statement on Tuesday, Netcare said a convoy will leave from Johannesburg, transporting the families of the deceased, as well as colleagues from Netcare and National Airways Corporation (NAC) to the site.
Craig Grindell, managing director of Netcare 911, said a special ceremony had been planned in close consultation with the family members of those ho lost their lives onboard Netcare 1 on Thursday last week near Winterton.
Those that died on the flight were, Dr Kgopotso Rudolf Mononyane, an anaesthetist, Dr Curnick Siyabonga (Siya) Mahlangu, a cardiothoracic surgeon, and Mpho Xaba, a specialist theatre nurse for cardiothoracic and transplant, all from Netcare Milpark Hospital; Sinjin Joshua Farrance, an advanced life support paramedic at Netcare 911, as well as the pilot of the helicopter, Mark Stoxreiter who worked for National Airways Corporation.
“This is understandably an incredibly important and meaningful visit for the families and colleagues of our fallen heroes. It is a strictly private and sacred ceremony and we ask on behalf of the families, that their right to appropriately mourn in private is respected. The ceremony will only be attended by close family members and accompanying colleagues of the deceased from Netcare, Netcare 911, Netcare Milpark Hospital and NAC,” said Netcare group CEO Dr Richard Friedland.
Meanwhile, Friedland said that technical teams from Bell, the helicopter manufacturer and Rolls-Royce, the manufacturer of the helicopter’s engines, will be arriving in South Africa to assist with the investigation of the accident on Wednesday.
“As the operator of the helicopter, Bell’s Independent Representative and Customer Support Facility and Rolls-Royce’s Authorised Maintenance Centre for the region, NAC is giving its fullest support and cooperation to the South African Civil Aviation Authority, who has already begun their investigation.”
IOL