All four occupants are alive and unharmed.
The group, consisting of a pilot, two police investigators, and an environmental-crime investigator, was dispatched to investigate reports of a carcass that had been discovered. They landed safely in a remote area but could not find their way back to the helicopter through the thick bush. They spent the night in the bush and were spotted this morning by the search team using a helicopter from SANParks.
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According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli the team departed yesterday morning at around 9:00 and did not return as anticipated. Another helicopter equipped with night-vision capabilities, alongside drones, was deployed to search for the missing team. Unfortunately, due to poor weather conditions, the helicopter had to be withdrawn, but the drones continued their search throughout the night.
