Policeman killed in SAPS plane crash identified
Warrant Officer Willem Erasmus was a police airborne law enforcement officer with 29 years’ service.
The SAPS member killed in the August 30 plane crash at Rand Airport in Germiston was identified as Warrant Officer Willem Erasmus.
Also read: Rand Airport crash: 5 killed when SAPS fixed wing aircraft crashes
“On board the Pilatus Porter PC 6 were six people. Two were SAPS members and the remaining four were technicians,” said SAPS national spokesperson Col Athlenda Mathe.
Mathe said based on a preliminary report, the aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Rand Airport just after 14:30.
Also read: Four technicians and warrant officer killed in aircraft crash
Erasmus was a police airborne law enforcement officer with 29 years’ service.
“The sole survivor of the crash, a senior pilot with 16 years of service, Captain Casper Swanepoel sustained serious injuries and is receiving medical care in hospital,” said Mathe.
SAPS management met with the families of the two SAPS members and the representatives of the company that employed the four technicians.
The Acting National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili sent her condolences to all affected families and wished the pilot a speedy recovery.
“We must allow investigations to unfold to be able to get to the bottom of what led to this tragedy,” said Mosikili.
