Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA Civil Aviation Authority has suspended search and rescue activities of a Microlight Aircraft 5H-MXO, a BatHawk which went missing since October 19 this year until lead-in information from the public is received.
A press statement issued by TCAA said that search and rescue (SAR) operation for the aircraft was immediately instituted by the authority after it received information about the missing aircraft.
“Aerial and ground search started in the morning of 19 October 2021 using three aircraft tracking the presumed route of the missing aircraft, and wildlife wardens were sent in groups to different areas in the search area, but neither the aircraft nor the pilot had been spotted to date,” TCAA Director General, Hamza Johari said in a statement.
He said TCAA, PAMS Foundation, and other participating Search and Rescue agents analysed the conducted Search and Rescue (SAR) activities and the time spent for the whole exercise and concluded that thorough aerial and ground search have been conducted covering all the ‘hotspot’.
The DG added “unfortunately, the Search and Rescue team did not find anything linked to the aircraft and the pilot…in that regard, search and rescue activities are suspended until lead-in information from the public is received”.
He said in that context the accident investigation will begin immediately in accordance with the law. TCAA urged the general public to provide any information which may lead to locating of the aircraft and the pilot.
According to the statement, such information should be directed to the Director General of Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority or a nearby police station or local government office.
On October 19 this year, TCAA received information from Capt. (Pilot) Peter James Fox of Fly Safari Air Link that a microlight aircraft registered in Tanzania as 5H- MXO type BatHawk owned by PAMS Foundation is missing.
The aircraft departed at Matemanga airstrip in Tunduru district, Ruvuma region at around 15:00 local time for a wildlife surveillance support mission between Matemanga and Kingupira in the Selous game reserve.
The aircraft had only the pilot on board, and in the course of the flight, neither did it contact Air Traffic Control nor was it detected by Radar (ATS surveillance) as it was flying at a very low altitude.
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