IT WAS a horror story that literally came out of the blue.
Yesterday villagers living near Senwabarwana, about 85km north of Polokwane, couldn’t believe their eyes when a low flying helicopter burst into flames and crashed. The two occupants were killed and three villagers injured.
According to cops, the private helicopter was installing antennas in the Blouberg Mountains when it experienced technical difficulties and crashed into a pole.
Anna Shivambo (31), a witness told Daily Sun: “It was like watching a horror movie. It was flying very low.
“It hit an electricity pole and crashed. There was a massive bang as it burst into flames.
“I’m really feeling bad because I saw two men engulfed in flames begging to be saved and there was nothing we could do.”
She said three villagers who were close to where the helicopter crashed were injured by flying bits of wreckage.
They were rushed to Helen Franz Hospital in Senwabarwana.
ER24 spokesman Russel Meiring said paramedics arrived on the scene and found the smouldering wreckage of a helicopter lying in a field about 200 metres away from the hospital.
Provincial fire services had already put out the blaze before the paramedics arrived.
“Paramedics found the remains of two occupants lying inside the helicopter. Unfortunately both had already succumbed to their injuries,” said Meiring.
Police are investigating.
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