Keri's Couch: Netcare 911 spokesperson recounts sad moment upon news of helicopter accident in KZN
Following the horrific helicopter crash that took place in KwaZulu-Natal last week, Keri spoke to the spokesperson for Netcare 911, Shawn Herbst.
Last week Thursday, the country was hit with the shocking news that a Netcare helicopter pilot and a four-man team of highly specialised doctors, nurses, paramedics, and anaesthetists died when the helicopter they were travelling in crashed alongside the N3 near Winterton in KwaZulu-Natal.
Keri Miller had the chance to speak to Shawn Herbst, who is the Netcare 911 national spokesperson. Herbst told Keri that when they arrived at the scene, the debris was spread over quite a large area.
READ: Keri's Couch: A domestic violence surviour tells her story
"The South African Civil Aviation Authority had arrived at the scene a few hours after the accident had occurred and started their investigation.
"As mentioned in previous reports, the helicopter did catch alright on impact after it hit the ground, sadly killing all five people on board."
According to Herbst, a farmer reported the accident after seeing the grass burning in the area. He also revealed that there were no distress calls before the accident and addresses reports linking one of the doctors to the late Minister Jackson Mthembu.
Take listen to part one of the interview:
READ: Keri's Couch: Adoption process - where, how, and how much?
"We do sympathise with the families involved. We've never been faced with a situation like this and we are all shocked and saddened by what had occurred. We are waiting for an investigation preliminary report which will be released as soon as they are ready to release it, which will give us an indication as to what happened."
Herbst also talks about Netcare 911's plan to honour the lives of the fallen heroes.
"A motorcade will be leaving People's Park at 16:30 onto NMR then onto northway 'til we turn right onto Umhlanga Rocks Drive through to the Netcare Umhlanga Hospital. Please give way and blow the horns to support frontline workers if you see the convoy," he says.
Listen to the full interview below.
READ: Keri's Couch: A homeless man who makes a living off his craft
IMAGE CREDIT: AFP