Westair ‘regrets’ the loss of the plane: three die in a plane crash

May 6, 2024 Vaseline stjohnson 0

Rudolf Gaiseb

Isai Sipunga

Following the crash of its plane in the affluent Pioneerspark neighborhood of Windhoek, aviation company Westair counted its losses through a media statement that caused commotion on several social media platforms.

What provoked public anger, as could be seen in different exchanges, was the fact that the aeronautical entity seemed to have valued the loss of its plane more than the three people who lost their lives during the accident.

In its initial statement issued on Friday, the company said: “Westair Aviation regrets to confirm the total loss of one of its aircraft, a Cessna 406 with registration V5-ASB, shortly after take-off from Eros Airport. This catastrophic event has deeply affected us all. “We can confirm that unfortunately the three people on board this non-commercial flight, all Westair Aviation employees, did not survive the incident.”

An aviation expert who preferred not to be identified for fear of being victimized was dismayed by Westair’s reaction, calling it “callous and capitalist.”

“The capitalist machine that is Westair was quick to reassure its customers to restore their trust, quickly clarifying that this was not a commercial flight, during which statement they highlighted the ‘loss of a plane’, while mentioning the loss of three lives in a somewhat unknown way,” said the expert.

When asked by reporters whether the company prioritizes its planes over human life, Elazanne McCulloch, who issued the statement on behalf of Westair, said: “Please note that ‘total loss of aircraft’ is aviation terminology for an event fatal and catastrophic, and in no case The path focuses solely on the plane.”

“I implore you to focus on the seriousness of the situation at hand. Westair Aviation does not at any time minimize the loss of life during this incident. “These people were part of the Westair Aviation team and the company, and this loss is felt deeply and incredibly personally by all colleagues,” he said.

McCulloch continued, as a flurry of questions emerged from media professionals: “As a professional and concise statement to the public, the correct aviation terminology is used to ensure clarity and transparency. The loss of human life today is at the forefront of everything and has left the company shaken. Please respect those affected during this difficult time and as journalists let’s focus on sharing information and not sensationalism.”

On Saturday, Westair issued another statement. “It is with deep sadness that we at Westair address the tragic accident that occurred near Eros Airport in Windhoek on May 3, 2024. During this terrible incident involving a non-commercial Westair flight, we lost three beloved members of our team. The events of yesterday (Friday) have left us all devastated. Following due process, the company can now publicly confirm with great regret the loss of our valued team members and friends: Rozanne De Beer-Olivier (33 years old, pilot who joined Westair in 2017), Ruan van Schalkwyk (24 years , pilot who joined Westair in 2017). Westair in 2023) and Andre-Armand Lubbe (25 years old, engineer who joined Westair in 2019). “This terrible event has deeply and personally affected all of us at Westair, and we share our deepest condolences with all those affected by this tragic loss.”

Aviation

Accident and Incident Investigation Directorate (DAII) director Magnus Abraham described the incident by saying that two pilots and a maintenance engineer were on a test flight from Eros airport.

“The crew was on a test flight from Eros airport. When they took off from the airport, they began to experience mechanical problems and attempted to return to the field, but unfortunately they were unable to return to the field,” Abraham said.

The plane crashed between two houses. However, no one on the ground was injured.

In the wake of the tragedy, emergency services from the City of Windhoek Fire and Rescue Department sprang into action, battling the resulting fire and preventing further destruction. Their quick and coordinated efforts were crucial in containing the fire and mitigating potential damage to nearby areas.
properties.

However, the accident destroyed the residential property, the value of which is yet to be confirmed.

The DAII and its partners are carrying out investigations to uncover the mystery behind the accident. For his part, the executive director of the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority, Toska Sem, expressed his condolences and assured of working closely with the DAII and American investigators.

“We will work with investigators to provide them with the necessary support to conduct a thorough and independent investigation to determine the circumstances that led to this particular accident,” Sem said.

He added: “Our role as a regulator is to ensure that all service providers are certified in accordance with the provisions of the NCAA, whether it is an aircraft that is in the airspace. They are required to be certified in flight operations; The pilots who command the aircraft also go through a rigorous process to obtain their pilot licenses. “It is therefore unfortunate that the accident had to occur.”

Terrified

Yesterday, New era He visited the neighborhood where the fatal accident occurred.

A resident of the house where the plane crashed described the horrific day when a Westair Cessna 406 crashed in the Pioneerspark residential area of ​​Windhoek, killing two pilots and a mechanical engineer at around 5pm on Friday. .

The resident was terrified and had yet to come to terms with the horror.

“I was in the bathroom, and my little one was watching TV, and then I heard the plane coming. It was so loud; He knew something wasn’t right and he was falling. I ran into the living room to grab my son and the next thing I heard was the crash. I said, ‘We have to get out of here; the plane just crashed.'” Terrified that the cars would explode, we ran to the neighbor’s house,” said one of the witnesses.

The witness continued: “We took our dogs and fled from the horrible place to the neighbor’s yard through the small gate in the border wall, and with the help of the neighbors we reached a safe place. We stopped and looked from the kitchen door at the neighbors; We could barely see the burning Mercedes Benz vehicle and the fire in front of the house. “We knew there was no way to get out again and we stayed until it was safe to get out.”

The resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that they are only tenants who rent the house, and that day she was only home with her son when the tragedy occurred.

A neighbor who preferred to remain anonymous said he is concerned about the response of emergency services in such terrible times.

“Firefighters were unable to extinguish the fire at first because they could not turn on the fire taps on the street and the Namibia Airports Company (NAC) vehicles were left without water. When the water truck arrived, the water was wasted on the street instead of putting out the fire. Finally they directed the pipes towards the fire, but again they ran out of water. The municipality’s emergency fire extinguishers arrived at the scene, but they were far away due to the blockage of cars and people. However, the fire dissipated,” the resident said.

–[email protected]