Surveying helicopter crashes on Blue Nile River
Tigrai Online
April. 19 2011
A helicopter with a team of experts on board has reportedly crashed into the Blue Nile River on Monday, a local an Ethiopian newspaper has reported.
Owned by a South African company, the helicopter, which took off from Qoncho area in the Benishangul Gumuz region was carrying out a feasibility study for the construction of an additional two hydro-power projects Ethiopia intends to launch on the Nile River.
“It flew into a cable spanning across the river used by locals to cross the gorge that is riverbed, according to sources”, the Reporter newspaper said on April 18.
“The pilot and all five experts on-board performing the studies swam to safety and emerged unharmed.”
There is no an official confirmation from government authorities and the report can’t be verified at this point.
Reached by phone, Shimels Kemal, a spokesman for the Communications Ministry of Ethiopia, could confirm the report on Tuesday.
“I just heard a helicopter crash incident in Nile River; however I haven’t yet received confirmation from the ground, but I will be able to give details tomorrow” he told Sudan Tribune.
Source-Sudan Tribune, Read more