GOVERNMENT will invite experts from China to help establish the cause of the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) helicopter crash at City Airport in Lusaka on Tuesday.
A ZAF pilot, Major Misapa Mukupa died upon arrival at the University Teaching Hospital after he sustained serious injuries while his co-pilot Kenneth Chilolo was treated for minor injuries and discharged.
The accident happened when the crew returned from the Youth Day Celebrations where the three helicopters flew past the Freedom Statue.
Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba said yesterday that the Government would invite experts from China who were the manufacturers of the aircraft to be part of the team that has been constituted to investigate the cause of the accident.
“There is no development yet because as I said yesterday, we have instituted a Board of Inquiry into what caused the crash and results cannot be ready within 24 hours.
“We will need to bring in experts from China who are the manufacturers of that aircraft and so it will take some time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini has asked Vice-President Guy Scott to issue a ministerial statement by Friday this week on the ZAF helicopter which crashed at City Airport.
This was after UPND Monze central Member of Parliament Jack Mwiimbu raised a point of order on what led the ZAF chopper to crash.
Dr Matibini ordered Dr Scott to issue a ministerial statement by Friday to clear the air.