Plane crashes in Kabarole

Kabarole

A passenger plane yesterday crashed in Kabarole District as it was taking off from Saka Airstrip, located in Kicwamba Sub-county.

The private plane, number N9698G, which was reportedly transporting evangelists to Arua, crashed about 20 minutes after taking off from the air strip at about midday. Four people who were on board survived with minor injuries and were taken to Fort Portal Hospital for medication.

There were three Ugandans on board and one American who was the pilot.
The Fort Portal police CID officer, Mr Okello Laurence, identified the passengers as Mr Frank Kaganzi, 36, a teacher at Kasaba Primary School in Kyenjojo District and Mr Robert Mugume,30, a businessman in Fort Portal Town. Others are Mr Derrick Kanyoro, 49, a manager of Saka Airstrip and Mr Jeff Cash,45, an American.

Mr Cash said the plane got a mechanical defect shortly after taking off and sustained mechanical damages. “The engine stopped and we crashed,” Mr Cash told this newspaper at the site of the crash.

“We were fortunate and survived, landing into Saaka Crater Lake,” he added.
Pastor Jeff, who works with a Pentecostal Church in Kagote, owns the plane which he uses for his evangelical missions.

Past incidence
The plane crash comes hardly a month after a plane that was transporting American soldiers had an emergency landing on the Kampala-Mityana highway.

[email protected]