South African Nick Bester, who was seriously injured when his helicopter was shot down by poachers, has spoken for the first time of his heartbreak at losing his best friend who saved his life. Bester and his friend, British accountant-turned-pilot Roger Gower, 37, were flying an anti-poaching operation on Friday, chasing elephant poachers in Tanzania's Maswa Game Reserve, when they were attacked from the ground by AK47-wielding gunmen.The poachers, who had just killed three elephants, opened fire on the helicopter as it flew just above tree-top level, wounding Gower, who died moments after crash-landing the aircraft into a tree.Gower was hit in the leg and shoulder by a bullet that passed through the helicopter floor.Speaking to The Times from his hospital bed in Nairobi, Kenya, where he was transferred, a shaken Bester, who is from Harrismith in the Free State, yesterday said they had crashed hard."It's just too difficult. It hurts. Everything happened quickly. I lost my best mate. We were not just colleagues, but really good friends. We were housemates."What Roger did saved my life," Bester said.Bester, who has lived and worked in Tanzania for the past nine years, said he was in severe pain.During the crash he fractured a vertebra.He said it was still too early for doctors to say whether he would require an operation or not."If I do I will come back to South Africa. If I don't I guess I will chill out here flat on my back for the next six weeks."Every time I move it hurts like hell. I am waiting to find out what my fate is."Bester said, contrary to earlier reports he had not jumped out of the helicopter. "It crash-landed."He referred further questions to Friedkin Conservation Fund director Michel Allard, who said Gower had died shortly after crashing during an emergency landing.Five men have been arrested...