SA pilots killed in Tanzania plane crash identified

The men were accompanying a group of South African teenagers that had built a four-seater sling in 10 days to fly from Cape to Cairo.

Des Werner and Werner Froneman were killed on 3 August 2019 after their light plane crashed in western Tanzania. The crash occurred shortly after takeoff from Tabora airport at around 7:30 am. Picture: U Dream Global/Facebook.

Kgomotso Modise | 14 days ago

JOHANNESBURG - Two South African pilots who died in a light aircraft crash in western Tanzania on Saturday have been identified as Des Werner and Werner Froneman.

The men were accompanying a group of South African teenagers who had built a four-seater Sling in 10 days to fly from Cape to Cairo.

Authorities said the four-seater plane, which Werner and Froneman were flying, crashed shortly after take-off from Tabora Airport in west-central Tanzania.

• From Cape to Cairo: Teen pilots fly in self-made plane

It’s understood the plane belonging to tourism company U-Dream Global was en route to Malawi.

Werner’s 17-year-old daughter was the founder of the U-Dream Global project that saw 20 teenagers build the four-seater Sling in 10 days.

Rescue officials could only retrieve the aircraft’s engine and some parts as the plane caught fire shortly after the crash.

Simon Manda from U-Dream Global said Werner and Froneman were an adult team supporting the young pilots.

“Unfortunately, their plane didn’t get to Cairo, it went to Addis Ababa and it was grounded. The teenagers then continued from Addis Ababa all the way to Cairo by themselves,” he said.

Manda said the teens then made their way back to Malawi and waited for the adult team, which was supposed to also make its way there from Tanzania.

“One of the support planes, which was piloted by Des Werner and Froneman, had an accident and unfortunately they lost their lives”.

WATCH: What it took SA teens to fly their homemade plane to Egypt

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