5 killed in Western Cape plane crash
The air ambulance, which was from Namibia, went down in a nature reserve on the Tygerberg hills. It had been reported missing after it went off radar this morning.
It's understood the incident is what led to the delay of flights at Cape Town International Airport this morning.
Earlier, Western Cape Premier Helen Zille tweeted that until the missing aircraft was accounted for, planes would have to remain grounded so as to not risk mid-air collisions.
If planes are allowed to take off while another is unaccounted for, there is too great a risk of mid-air collisions. So planes grounded.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) August 16, 2015
One of the planes affected was flight SA-314 with former Proteas cricketer, Herschelle Gibbs and cricket commentator Neil Manthorp on board.
Waiting to take off and captain says the radars all over the country have gone down and they busy searching for one aircraft at present..🙈🙈
— Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) August 16, 2015
"Radar systems down across the country...one plane missing in Western Cape..." - encouraging words from captain of SA314 as we wait.
— Neil Manthorp (@NeilManthorp) August 16, 2015
The Airports Company South Africa's Colin Naidoo told Newswatch earlier that the problems at the airport have been sorted out and flights are now taking off and landing.
(File photo: KZN EMS)