Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE search for Samwel Gibuyi, a pilot who went missing over Selous Game Reserve is still on.
Permanent Secretary in the Works and Transport Ministry Gabriel Migire said rescue teams from the ministry and the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority(TCAA) were yet to locate the ‘Bathawk’ Flight Number 5H-WXO and its sole occupant.
This comes as the rescue operations, led by the Ministry and experts from TCCA failed to trace the anti-poaching aircraft owned by PAMS Foundation, even when the surrounding villagers hinted to them that it had crash-landed at Majimaji area.
“The villagers said they had seen something crash-landing, but they couldn’t lead experts to the site,” revealed the PS in an interview with ‘Daily News’.
This, according to Mr Migire compelled the rescue operations to carry on, two weeks since the aircraft went missing.
The PS further revealed that the rescue teams were working round the clock to trace the missing pilot, and would duly keep the public abreast with the developments.
Mr Gibuyi was on a mission of searching for black rhinos when his plane went missing on October 18, this year.
He is said to be flying his plane from Matemanga Village in Ruvuma to Selous Game Reserve in search of black rhinos when he failed to arrive as expected. The aircraft is believed to have gone missing from the control radars.
According to PAMS Foundation, the former Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) graduate was flying by himself on a mission across southern Tanzania last week, when his plane failed to arrive at its destination.
“Search and rescue efforts were launched immediately and have been ongoing. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our partners in government, as well as our many friends for the incredible support we have received in the ongoing search for Samwel,” read part of an excerpt from the conservation organization.
It added: Samwel’s family and close community who are all anxiously awaiting news.
Three years ago, one of PAMS founding members Wayne Lotter was shot and killed by an unknown gunman at Masaki area, in Dar es Salaam.
The wildlife conservationist was being driven from the airport to his hotel when his taxi was stopped by another vehicle. Two men, one armed with a gun opened his car door and shot him.
Prior to his death, Lotter was the director and co-founder of the PAMS Foundation, an NGO that provides conservation and anti-poaching support to communities and governments in Africa.
The South African anti-poaching activist was credited for supporting an elite Tanzanian anti-poaching unit that has had a number of successful arrests in recent years.
He is also credited for having worked on the notorious Ivory Queen case, which saw Yang Feng Glan, a Chinese pensioner, charged with running a smuggling empire that stretched from East Africa to Asian markets.
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