Saturday, January 30, 2016

Robinson R44 II, Friedkin Conservation Fund, 5H-FCG: Fatal accident occurred January 29, 2016 in Tanzania

British helicopter pilot ‘shot and killed’ by elephant poachers while flying




A British helicopter pilot has been 'shot dead by elephant poachers in Tanzania', a conservation charity has said.

Englishman Roger Gower was helping authorities in Tanzania track the criminals.

He managed to bring the helicopter down in the the Maswa Game Reserve, near Serengeti National Park in the country's north, but died from his wounds before he could be rescued.

Pictures posted online show the badly damaged remains of the helicopter, including a bloodied bullet hole in the pilot's seat of the aircraft, which lay on its side in the savannah grass.

The Friedkin Conservation Fund said elephant poachers fired on his aircraft.

In a message posted on its website, founder Dan Friedkin said the organisation was "profoundly saddened by the loss of our dear friend".

Mr Friedkin said: "Roger was killed while piloting a helicopter during a co-ordinated effort with the Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down and arrest active elephant poachers. In the course of this action the poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded.

"We are committed to honouring Roger and his work. We are also committed 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 protect elephants and our priceless wildlife heritage.

"This tragic event again highlights the appalling risk and cost of protecting Tanzania1s wildlife."

Pratik Patel, a colleague from the Friedkin Conservation Fund, said Mr Gower was shot on Friday afternoon during a patrol as he approached the last carcass of three elephants that had been killed by poachers.

He paid tribute to "a great guy, a great friend, a great pilot" who he said loved working with Tanzania's wildlife.

He said his main role was flying people between the different camps on the reserve, but he also spent some time every day flying patrols to support ground staff in their work against poachers.

Mr Gower is reported to be a former accountant who qualified as a pilot in 2004.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Tanzania and are providing assistance to the family at this difficult time."

Tanzanian MP Lazaro Nyalandu, a former minister for natural resources and tourism, said in a tweet Mr Gower was shot by a poacher on Friday as he helped locate a group who had killed an elephant in Maswa, an area of the Serengeti in the country's north.

The Briton managed to land but died before he could be rescued.

Mr Nyalandu said: "RIP Capt Roger. You loved our country and I knew you on many flights we took together in defence of our wildlife heritage. Life is precious.

"Those poachers who killed Capt Roger are coward, evil, and sad people. A fine hearted individual gone too soon, and our hearts are broken.

"Capt Roger's body was flown into Arusha early today, as those who killed him are still at large.Everything must be done to bring them to justice."

Wildlife at Risk International said on its Facebook page: “A huge manhunt is underway involving several organisations assisting authorities to track down this coldblooded murderer. For security reasons no further details are being released for now due to the ongoing investigation.”


Story, video and photos: http://www.express.co.uk

Helicopter wreckage in the aftermath of the attack.


A British helicopter pilot has been shot and killed by the elephant poachers he was trying to help arrest, Friedkin Conservation Fund has confirmed.

Roger Gower was fatally wounded as he worked with Tanzanian wildlife authorities in the Maswa Game Reserve, near Serengeti National Park on Friday.

He was flying a helicopter when he came under attack.

He managed to bring the helicopter down, but died from his injuries before he could be rescued.

Dan Friedkin, chairman of the Friedkin Conservation Fund, said in a statement on its website: ‘January 29 2016 we lost our colleague Roger Gower who was killed in the fight against elephant poaching in Tanzania. We are profoundly saddened by the loss of our dear friend.

‘Roger was killed while piloting a helicopter during a coordinated effort with the Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down and arrest active elephant poachers. In the course of this action the poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded.

‘We are committed to honoring Roger and his work. We are also committed to ensuring that those responsible for this attack are found and brought to justice. We believe that Roger can best be honored by redoubling our commitment to protect elephants and our priceless wildlife heritage.

‘This tragic event again highlights the appalling risk and cost of protecting Tanzania’s wildlife.’

A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘We can confirm the death of a British national in Tanzania and are providing assistance to the family at this difficult time.’

Story and photo gallery: http://metro.co.uk


The conservation fund has paid tribute to Roger Gower. 
(Picture: Facebook/Wildlife At Risk)



London (AFP) - A British pilot has died in Tanzania after his helicopter was downed by elephant poachers, the charity he worked for said Saturday.

Roger Gower died on Friday and is thought to have been flying in the Maswa Game Reserve, located along the boundary of the Serengeti National Park.

"Roger was killed while piloting a helicopter during a coordinated effort with the Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down and arrest active elephant poachers," said a statement from Dan Friedkin, chairman of the Friedkin Conservation Fund.

"In the course of this action, the poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded."

The BBC quoted Pratik Patel of the fund as saying that Gower had been approaching the last of three elephants which had been killed by poachers when the incident happened.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Gower had given up his job as an accountant in London to retrain as a pilot.

A Foreign Office spokesman in London said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Tanzania and are providing assistance to the family at this difficult time."

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