South African Air Force helicopter unused for two years saves 18 in flood disaster
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was forced to use a helicopter that had stood idle for two years to rescue 18 people at a safari lodge near Phalaborwa in Limpopo, Rapport reports.
The Agusta 109 helicopter from Hoedspruit’s 19th Squadron carried the group to safety from Kambaku Boat Safari Lodge next to the Olifants River on the border of Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
Large parts of eastern Limpopo, northern Mpumalanga, and Mozambique had been hammered by rain from around 10 January 2025, with some reporting 400mm of rainfall in less than a week.
That led to several rivers breaking their banks and many lower-lying areas becoming flooded. Dozens of houses have been destroyed or swept away, while some areas are without electricity and running water.
At the lodge, Leon and Brenda du Plessis and their 72-year-old mother, Charmaine Koning, were cut off from the outside world by Tuesday.
Although the river’s levels seemed fairly normal, it rose exponentially on Wednesday. Attempts to get out of the area on foot were unsuccessful, with mud becoming so thick that they got stuck.
They also struggled with mobile network connectivity, as towers in the area went offline when the flooding disrupted electricity.
Leon and Brenda’s daughter, Tanya, who was in Phalaborwa when the lodge became inaccessible, contacted Agri Limpopo’s Deidré Carter to see if she could assist.
Carter called the police to ask them to dispatch the air force and rescue the group at the lodge. Acting provincial commissioner Major-General Jan Scheepers immediately gave the air force authority for the rescue.
Members of the community policing forum and farmers identified a location where the helicopter could land safely for the rescue mission.
The rescue was led by Lieutenant-Colonel Stefan King, with Major Peter Rabie as co-pilot and Sergeant Sicelo Mponthsane as flight engineer.
The Agusta helicopter had to fly back and forth five times between the landing location and the lodge’s workshop, which was on higher ground, as it could only transport three extra people at a time.
In addition to the Du Plessis couple, their two Yorkshire terriers and their staff at the lodge, an Irish tourist was among the rescued.
King and his crew continued rescue operations in Giyani on the next day, rescuing people from rooftops and trees.
Many deaths confirmed
The SANDF also sent a larger Oryx helicopter from 17th Squadron in Pretoria to Hoedspruit to aid in search-and-rescue operations on Thursday.
Over the past week, the South African Weather Service has issued several rare Red Level 10 warnings for heavy and disruptive rain in the northeastern parts of the country.
As of Friday, 16 January 2025, at least 19 people were confirmed to have died as a result of the floods, while the resultant damage is estimated to be around R4 billion.
During a visit to the Vhembe and Mopani districts to assess the damage, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the air force’s response showed that the government’s disaster reaction was improving.
The rain and floods have had a significant impact on the Kruger National Park, where SANParks has also needed to evacuate tourists and staff by helicopter.
Water levels at Letaba Rest Camp, about 50km east of Phalaborwa, exceeded those of the devastating 2000 floods.
Much of the riverside camp was covered in waist-high water, and at least one of the camp’s open-safari vehicles was flipped on its side.
SANParks praised for early warnings and action
With the Letaba at its highest level, water was flowing in waves over the nearby camp’s high-water bridge. A section of road adjacent to the bridge was washed away.
Within the park, the Crocodile, Olifants, Sand, and Sabie rivers also broke their banks and reached near the 2000 flood levels.
Google’s Flood Hub estimated that the Sabie River, which runs alongside the southern camps of Skuzuka and Lower Sabie, reached its highest level in 46 years.
SANParks has received praise for its proactive strategy, including the early evacuation of camps most at risk of flooding and constant communication regarding the closure of bridges and certain roads.
The park was forced to close completely for day visitors as a precautionary measure. While water levels had somewhat subsided by the weekend, SAWS forecast more rain over the next few days.
Loading ...