Garang helicopter Wreckage to be flown back.
Aug 20, 2005 (Kampala) — The wreckage of Uganda’s Presidential helicopter in which Sudanese First Vice-President, Lt. Gen. John Garang died with 12 other people on July 30 is to be flown home, Works, Transport and Communications Minister, John Nasasira said yesterday.
Nasasira, the national chairman of the Ugandan team probing the M1-172 helicopter crash, said at a press conference on the progress of the investigations at the Sheraton, Kampala hotel that Sudan and Uganda have each deployed at the site to ensure the scene is not tampered with until completion of the inquiries. The conference was jointly addressed by the former Sudanese Vice-President, Mr. Abel Alier Kuai.
“The wreckage will be taken first to New Site. The wreckage belongs to Uganda and I think it has to be brought to Uganda,” Nasasira said. He said the wreckage was found in Zuria Mountain ranges near Kidepo Valley National Park.
The chief investigator of the US National Transportation Safety Board, Dr. Dennis Jones, told the press that the investigations into the cause of the accident may go up to January next year due to its extensive nature.
Nasasira flanked by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda and former Army Commander, Maj. Gen. James Kazini, said the identification exercise of the victims done by forensic experts from Uganda, Sudan and US certified that there were 13 people on board the helicopter.
“We have been trying to get clarification from the UN. The person who said there were 17 bodies was their spokesperson in Khartoum. We are still waiting for their clarification. The body bags were brought by the UN. It is likely they sent 17 bags instead of 13,” Nasasira said.
He said the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR), commonly known as black boxes, were recovered, sealed and brought to Entebbe for safe custody by both Uganda and Sudanese personnel.
Nasasira said as a way forward in the probe, the Sudan and Uganda teams have agreed to send the CVR and FDR to Kazan Helicopters, the manufacturers in Russia for examination. He said technical teams in ballistic, forensic, recorders, airworthiness, air traffic control and weather, accident site survey, security and intelligence have been formed to conduct specific inquiries.
Mr. Alier said some members of the team and technicians are to visit the site today in company of technical committees from Uganda, Kenya, US and Russia.
Alier said some members of the commission and technicians will remain behind in Uganda to conduct some inquiries.