Poachers open fire on SANParks helicopter at Kruger

26 May 2016 - 19:41 By TMG Digital

Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa disclosed on Thursday that a SANParks helicopter in the Kruger National Park (KNP) came under fire from suspected poachers‚ an act she described as "a dramatic escalation in our fight against rhino poaching". Four poachers have been arrested and three firearms as well as poaching equipment have been seized after they were recovered at the three contact scenes‚ she said in a statement.The poachers shot at the SANParks helicopter five times.The department said that in three operations involving members of the SANParks Rangers‚ SAPS Airwing and K9 Units‚ contact was made in all three sections with groups of suspected poachers on Wednesday."The incidents took place in three separate sections of the southern part of the Kruger National Park that has borne the brunt of poaching."Fortunately‚ quick action by all the team members involved averted a catastrophe and the helicopter managed to land with all the crew on board safe."Follow-up investigations involving the SAPS are under way.In the first four months of this year‚ 363 rhinos were poached in South Africa‚ and of these 232 were killed in the KNP.The number of incursions by poachers into the KNP is up by 28% in the first four months of this year...

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