STATEMENT BY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE HEADQUARTERS

STATEMENT BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE (SANDF): HAWK INCIDENT AT THE AIR FORCE BASE SWARTKOP

Date: Friday, 20 March 2009

The Department of Defence wishes to announce that on Wednesday 18 March 2009 at approximately 21:15, a South African Air Force Hawk lead-in fighter trainer aircraft over ran the end of the runway at Swartkop and sustained minor damages to its undercarriage, whilst on routine training flight.

The crew did not sustain any injuries and a board of inquiry has since been convened to investigate the incident further.

Ends

Released by: The Department of Defence
Private Bag x 161
Pretoria
0001

Enquiries: Col D. van der Westhuizen
Tel: (012) 312 - 2134
Fax: (012) 312 – 2801
E-mail: dcss@telkomsa.net