SIERRA LEONE: At least 21 people killed including Togo minister in Sierra Leone helicopter crash

Record ID: 209987

  • Title: SIERRA LEONE: At least 21 people killed including Togo minister in Sierra Leone helicopter crash
  • Date: 5th June 2007
  • Summary: MORE OF WRECKAGE (SOUNDBITE)(English) DOCTOR PRINCE HARDING, SIERRA-LEONE TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION MINISTER SAYING: "On behalf of the Sierra Leone government and the people of Sierra Leone and, of course, on my personal behalf, we have to extend, we just have to extend our sincere condolence and for us to take it as perhaps, what can I say, 'It's God's will, some of us who are religious, that's the only way. We just have to console them and even ourselves. We are really, really, really saddened, we don't want to (unintelligible) catastrophe to happen to any country or to any group of people."
  • Embargoed: 20th June 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Sierra Leone
  • Country: Sierra Leone
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVABNHQ9G7H7HC5TL0K5UJL6SES9
  • Story Text: Togolese Sports Minister Richard Attipoe was among the members of a delegation of sports officials from Togo killed aboard a passenger helicopter that crashed in Sierra Leone, officials said on Monday (June 4).
    At least 21 people, most of them Togolese, were killed when the Russian-made Mi-8 helicopter operated by Paramount Airlines exploded and crashed late on Sunday (June 3) at Lungi international airport, 13 km (8 miles) north of Freetown.
    Spokesmen for the Togolese Football Federation and the Togolese Olympic Committee confirmed Attipoe was among those killed. Togo's government Web site also reported the news.
    No players of the Togo national soccer team were among the victims. They had been waiting to take the next helicopter flight to Lungi airport.
    Initial reports had put the number of dead at 22, but Sierra Leone officials said the Russian pilot of the helicopter had survived. Eyewitnesses said he jumped out seconds before the dive.
    The Togolese sports delegation had chartered the helicopter to return to the airport after attending an African Nations Cup soccer qualifying game played in the capital Freetown on Sunday between Sierra Leone and Togo. The visiting team had won 1-0.
    The helicopter came down in flames on an airport runway.
    Dr Prince Harding, Sierra-Leone Transport and Communication Minister told reporters what happened.
    "On approach, about to land there was an explosion. From there the whole aircraft was engulfed in flames and I don't see anybody really having an iota of chance to come out of that airplane," said Harding.
    Paramount Airlines is one of two commercial companies that run helicopter services between Freetown and Lungi airport, ferrying passengers in a 7-minute flight over the Sierra Leone river.
    The alternative slower route is to use rusting river ferries or local fishing boats.
    Harding sent a message of condolence to the families of those killed. "On behalf of the Sierra Leone government and the people of Sierra Leone and, of course, on my personal behalf, we have to extend, we just have to extend our sincere condolence and for us to take it as perhaps, what can I say, 'It's God's will, some of us who are religious, that's the only way. We just have to console them and even ourselves. We are really, really, really saddened, we don't want to (unintelligible) catastrophe to happen to any country or to any group of people," he said.
    The cause of the accident was not immediately known.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register