A member of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) who sustained head injuries while practicing for the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) expo is critical but alive.
This after reports that the member had died.
Critical but stable
SANDF communications head Siphiwe Dlamini told Pretoria Rekord the member had been stabilised since the incident on Thursday, but remained in a critical condition.
Dlamini said the member was performing an aerobics manoeuvre for the expo when he fell, seemingly from a plane overhead.
“After the unfortunate incident, the Gauteng Emergency Medical Service (GEMS) paramedic, in collaboration with the South African Military Health Services (SAHMS) medical team, stabilised the injured member, who was then flown in a South African Air Force Oryx helicopter to a hospital in Pretoria where he underwent further medical procedures,” Dlamini explained.
He said the SANDF pleaded with members of the public to allow the injured member and his family privacy “during this difficult time”.
Expo in pics
The expo ran from 21 to 25 September at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in Centurion, and is Africa’s only aerospace and defence expo.
The event combines both a trade exhibition and an air show, and returns after a long break as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The air show took place over the past weekend.
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A DCD armoured vehicle at the Africa Aerospace and Defence expo held at Waterkloof airforce base in Pretoria, 21 September 2022. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
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A United States Air Force C-17 Globemaster at the Africa Aerospace and Defence expo held at Waterkloof airforce base in Pretoria, 21 September 2022. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
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A Search And Rescue vehicle at the Africa Aerospace and Defence expo held at Waterkloof airforce base in Pretoria, 21 September 2022. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
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A South African Defence Force Rooikat shows off its capabilities at the Africa Aerospace and Defence expo held at Waterkloof airforce base in Pretoria, 21 September 2022. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
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Firearms from Turkey on display at the Africa Aerospace and Defence expo held at Waterkloof airforce base in Pretoria, 21 September 2022. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
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The South African-made SVI Max3 armoured 6 wheel Land Cruiser on display at the Africa Aerospace and Defence expo held at Waterkloof airforce base in Pretoria, 21 September 2022. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
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A South African Defence Force Oliphant main battle tank shows off its capabilities at the Africa Aerospace and Defence expo held at Waterkloof airforce base in Pretoria, 21 September 2022. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
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South African soldiers demonstrate their capabilities at the Africa Aerospace and Defence expo held at Waterkloof airforce base in Pretoria, 21 September 2022. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
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A South African Defence Force Oliphant main battle tank shows off its capabilities at the Africa Aerospace and Defence expo held at Waterkloof airforce base in Pretoria, 21 September 2022. The expo is a africas only defence and aerospace expo and combines both a trade show as well as an airshow. The air show will take place over the upcoming weekend. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
Edited by Nica Richards.
Parts of this article first appeared on Caxton publication Pretoria Rekord, by Terry-Ann Diergaardt. Read the original article here.
