Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy has expressed her condolences to the family of Kishugu Aviation aerial firefighting pilot Justin van As, who lost his life in an aircraft accident while busy with aerial firefighting operations near Ngodwana, Mpumalanga, on June 21.
“At a time of great sadness for the family of Justin van As, as well as the firefighting fraternity, I salute Justin’s bravery and dedication to his work. I wish to pay homage and respect to a true firefighting hero who remained forever committed to saving lives and protecting our environment,” she said.
Klerksdorp-born Van As, aged 49, joined Kishugu Aviation on May 1, 2019, as an AT802 AFF pilot (fixed-wing water bomber pilot).
He leaves behind his son, aged 18, as well as his wife, Amelia. He was a keen reader, especially historical events, and loved research and philosophising about his readings.
The cause of the accident is still unknown, but the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has started with its investigation.
“The safety of our pilots and ground crews remains a top priority and Kishugu Aviation will be working with South African Civil Aviation Authority to determine the cause of the accident. We are unfortunately unable to provide any further details at this stage,” said Creecy.
Kishugu Aviation is a subsidiary of Kishugu Holdings which forms part of the Working on Fire – Kishugu Joint Venture which implements the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment's Working on Fire programme.
Kishugu Aviation provides aerial firefighting services in the form of aircraft, aircraft support vehicles and pilots to the Working on Fire programme.