Chopper Carrying Uganda’s Deputy Speaker Destroyed in Crash Following Fire
A chopper carrying Uganda’s Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, crashed late Saturday night following a fire in the cockpit. The incident occurred as Tayebwa was returning to Kampala after attending President Museveni’s commissioning of the Kole-Gulu-Nebbi-Arua 132kV power line and a Kuhingira ceremony in Bushenyi.
The Deputy Speaker’s schedule extended later than expected, causing his team to rush to Nyakisharara airfield to catch a flight back to the capital. However, upon arrival, they were informed that the chopper could not take off due to night-time restrictions and a lack of night vision capabilities.
Despite this, BAR Aviation’s CEO, Barak Orland, offered to fly Tayebwa and his team. They accepted, and shortly after takeoff, a fire was detected in the chopper’s cockpit. The situation quickly escalated, prompting the pilot to perform an emergency crash landing.
Fortunately, all individuals aboard the chopper survived the incident, though they sustained minor injuries. The aircraft itself was destroyed in the crash, which was reportedly caused by a technical malfunction.
Authorities are expected to provide further details as BAR Aviation continues to investigate the incident. Meanwhile, Tayebwa and his team are reported to be in stable condition following the harrowing experience.
