INFORMATION NOTE

UNAMID helicopter pilot still unaccounted for

El Fasher, 29 July 2010 – A pilot with the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) remains unaccounted for following an incident on 26 July in which the passengers and crew of a UNAMID helicopter were assaulted and beaten by unidentified uniformed armed men. The event unfolded in Oum Sader, located roughly 55 kilometers north of Nyala, South Darfur.

The UTAir Russian company aircraft, working under contract for UNAMID, had been in the process of picking up representatives of the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) who were to be taken to Doha, Qatar, to participate in the ongoing peace negotiations.

While en route, the aircraft, with four Russian crew members, three LJM delegates, and one international UNAMID civilian staff on board, diverted several kilometers from its originally designated landing area, due to poor ground conditions caused by recent adverse weather.
 
It had been initially reported that the passengers and crew were grounded by local authorities. However, as more information came in, it was determined that the group was met by unidentified hostile elements.

The assailants robbed and beat up several of the passengers and crew of the aircraft. Sudanese authorities arrived at the scene where the group, with the exception of the pilot, was then taken to a nearby government military camp and remained overnight. The passengers, the remaining crew and the aircraft arrived back at UNAMID’s base in Nyala on 27 July. 

UNAMID is deeply concerned over the fate of the pilot. The Mission is currently working with the Government of the Sudan in the search for the missing Russian crew member.