Sudan asks UN Help in investigating Garang crash

Aug 23, 2005 (UNITED NATIONS) — Sudan has asked the United Nations to help with the investigation into the July 30 helicopter crash that killed a rebel leader who had just become the country’s first vice president, a U.N. spokesman said Monday.

The United Nations has agreed to provide transportation and logistics and may help examine evidence from the crash scene, spokesman Farhan Haq said.

Southern rebel leader John Garang died in the crash of a helicopter owned by Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, just weeks after taking office as first vice president.

Haq said Sudan delivered the request Thursday. He said it was possible that the International Civil Aviation Organization could become involved as well. The U.N.-affiliated agency, headquartered in Montreal, sets aviation safety standards.

Sudan’s government and Garang’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement have already set up a team to investigate the crash and asked several countries to help. Friday, investigators said the probe would take about six months.

AP/ST