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JOHANNESBURG/DAR ES SALAAM: Elephant poachers in Tanzania fired on a helicopter on an anti-poaching mission and killed the British pilot. Tanzanian police have arrested three men in this case, a minister said.
Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Jumanne Maghembe pledged that any other suspects will be arrested in security operations after the attack in Maswa wildlife reserve, near Serengeti National Park.
Roger Gower, 37, was killed on Friday when his helicopter crashed after it was attacked during a patrol of the Maswa Game Reserve in northern Tanzania, close to the world famous Serengeti National Park.
“The suspects are in the hands of police,” the minister told AFP.
Gower’s South African colleague, safari guide Nicky Bester, leapt out of the helicopter 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 hunting spree,” Shelutete said, adding such poachers can be “heavily armed with sophisticated military weaponry”.
Photographs of the crashed helicopter show twisted metal, as well as apparent bullet holes in the fuselage, and smears of blood on the pilot’s seat.
It was not immediately clear if Gower was killed by the gunshots or when the helicopter crashed.
“The suspected poachers shot the helicopter which was on surveillance at a remote game reserve,” Maghembe added. “This is a sad incident. We will continue with the war against poachers... these are cruel criminals.”
Ivory is sought out for jewellery and decorative objects and much of it is smuggled to China, where many increasingly wealthy shoppers are buying ivory trinkets as a sign of financial success.
It is estimated that more than 30,000 elephants are killed for their tusks every year.
The wildlife charity Gower worked for confirmed his death.
“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.”
Conservation officials appealed for help in catching the culprits.
“These people killing elephants in our conservation areas live in the neighbourhood, and those with information should come forward,” Shelutete added.
“We all need to work together to end the killings of elephants and people fighting poaching.”
Lazaro Nyalandu, a former minister of tourism and natural resources, wrote on Twitter that Gower was killed by AK-47 assault rifle fire.
“You loved our country and I knew you on many flights we took together,” Nyalandu wrote.
A co-pilot survived with injuries, Tanzanian authorities said.
Britain’s Foreign Office confirmed the death of a Briton in Tanzania and said it was “providing assistance to the family at this difficult time.”