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SA Air Force 22 Squadron commander, Major Jannie Augustyn, is being hailed a hero after his next-level flying skills saved the crew of his Oryx helicopter when it came under fire during a medical evacuation mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Major Augustyn employed ‘desperate evasive tactics’ on Friday morning when rebel gunfire ripped through the floor of Oryx he was piloting, and despite a bullet almost severing his finger and shrapnel hitting his legs, he managed to get himself and his crew to safety.

One shot entered the windscreen immediately in front of the pilots, while the others went through the fuselage and undercarriage.

With him in the Oryx were copilot Major Harvey Strauss (40), flight engineer Sergeant Divan Adams (32), medical staff, and an Indian patient who was part of a ‘medical evacuation’. Sergeant Mahlalela, a medical orderly, was severely injured in the side when a bullet struck him below his bulletproof vest after penetrating through the Oryx’s floor.

The Oryx presumably came under fire by the ‘infamous M23 forces’, a rebel group that has previously said they are keen to fight the South African military stationed in DRC.

Although the majority of the insurgent salvos were directed at the helicopter’s bottom, it was hit at least 43 times. A hydraulic system that controls the undercarriage’s lowering was destroyed, and fluid leaked out. This meant that Major Augustyn, who was injured, had to fly back to Goma by himself. By the time he and his team arrived on the ground, he was already suffering from blood loss.

The flight was part of the Southern African Development Community’s regional force (SAMIDRC) deployed in the east of the DRC while the UN peacekeeping forces were being withdrawn. The M23 rebel group in the east of the DRC warned a few weeks ago that they had decided to ‘declare war on the SAMIDRC’.

South Africa has five Oryx helicopters in the DRC, but only two crews. With Augustyn out of action, this means there is now a single Oryx available for operations Along with the provisional forces of Malawi, Tanzania and South Africa, there are no other aircraft available for the SAMIDRC.

Despite having hero pilots and a committed crew, the Air Force is struggling financially, so with rebels shooting our choppers up, the SAMIDRC missions are already struggling to fill the void left by the UN. Despite this, they fight on.

Regardless of what we think of the Air Force at times, they really do have some magnificent men in their flying machines.

[source:citypress]