A British helicopter pilot has been shot dead by elephant poachers in Tanzania. Roger Gower, 37, was taking part in an anti-poaching operation in Tanzania when the criminals he was tracking fired on his aircraft.He was hit by an AK47 round in midair and managed to land his helicopter but died before rescue teams arrived.He was helping rangers find the killers of an elephant at Maswa on Friday.Three elephants had been killed and, as he approached the last one, he was shot at.The founder of the Friedkin Conservation Fund charity, Dan Friedkin, said: "We are committed to honouring Roger and his work and to ensuring that those responsible for this attack are found and brought to justice."We believe that Roger can best be honoured by redoubling our commitment to protecting elephants and our priceless wildlife heritage."This tragic event again highlights the appalling risk and cost of protecting Tanzania's wildlife."A manhunt for the poachers, which involved several organisations, was launched.Tanzanian police later in the day were reported to have arrested three men suspected of being involved in Gower's death."The suspects are in the hands of the police," Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Jumanne Maghembe said."They are co-operating and soon more members of the poaching gang will be netted and brought to justice."Gower's South African colleague, safari guide Nicky Bester, leapt out of the helicopter in midair as it crashed and was injured, according to a spokesman from the Tanzania's National Parks, Pascal Shelutete."Three elephant carcasses that were found indicated that whoever shot the chopper down was on a serious illegal hunt."Shelutete said such poachers could be "heavily armed with sophisticated military weaponry".Gower had given up his job as an accountant in London to retrain as a pilot working in Africa. He had told one newspaper that he loved taking off on missions in the Kenyan bush to the soundtrack of Africa, by Toto.The MP for the Singida North constituency in Tanzania, Lazaro Nyalandu, described Gower's killers as "evil cowards"."Captain Roger represented the very best in the human spirit. He loved people and the wildlife. He died serving both."Those poachers who killed Captain Roger are cowards; evil and sad people. A fine-hearted individual gone too soon, and our hearts are broken."Reuters reports that a June census found that the elephant population of Tanzania, which depends heavily on safari tourism, has declined from 110000 in 2009 to just over 43000 in 2014. ..