Johannesburg, March 31 (IANS) A South African Air Force (SAAF) helicopter crashed Saturday night, leaving five people dead, the South African Press Association reported Sunday.
The tragedy occurred as the A109 helicopter was on a routine patrol over the Kruger National Park in the northeastern province of Limpopo, Xinhua quoted the SAAF as saying.
“It was part of the anti-poaching operation,” the SAAF said.
The Kruger park is the largest reserve in South Africa, where live many endangered animals of rhino. However, some of the rhinos would be targeted and killed by poachers every month due to rampant smuggling of horns.
Poachers mostly operate at or near moon and the park has to request the air force to use helicopters to combat them.
