SAAF flight engineer dies in Zambian hit and run

15/04/2015

South African Air Force flight engineer Sergeant Masilo Modiba's body has been repatriated

A 19 Squadron Oryx flight engineer was killed in a hit and run accident in Livingstone, Zambia, over the weekend.

Sergeant Masilo Modiba died instantly after being hit by the vehicle while a colleague’s leg was broken.

A statement issued by the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) said Modiba, Oryx commander Major CJ Tarentaal and Major R Pillay from 17 Squadron were en route to South Africa and had stopped in the Zambian town. They are part of the air force crew rotation doing duty in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of the UN mission, MONUSCO.

All three were walking to a restaurant for dinner when the vehicle apparently left the road and hit two of them on the pavement.

Tarentaal’s leg was broken and he was taken to Livingstone General Hospital. Pillay was not hurt.

A 28 Squadron C-130BZ left AFB Waterkloof on Sunday to collect Modiba’s body which was safely delivered to Polokwane Airport on Monday.

The defence force is collaborating with Zambian law enforcement authorities on investigating the accident.