The aircraft lay in the depths of the Indian Ocean some 4-5 km beneath the surface.  A lengthy recovery exercise began which involved recovering wreckage and the blackbox which includes the last 30 minutes of the cockpit voice recordings.

An enquiry was established to ascertain the cause of the crash headed by Judge Cecil Margo.  Margo, who was a pilot, had been involved in numerous aircraft crash investigations in the past and was suitably qualified to head the enquiry.

The Commission found that the aircraft crashed due to a fire caused in the cargo section but did not ascertain the exact cause or nature of the cargo that led to the fire.  Subsequent to the crash Boeing revised the fire precautions of all existing 747 Combi’s (the Combi was a modified Boeing 747 with a larger cargo section at the expense of passengers space).

Both before and after the Margo Commission there was wide speculation regarding the cause of the crash.  The speculation ranged from fireworks and rocket fuel to ‘red mercury’.

After the fall of the apartheid regime in 1994 the Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) was established to investigate the atrocities which took place during the Nationalist parties reign.  During June 1998 the TRC conducted an investigative enquiry into the Helderberg accident.  The TRC exposed major issues with the original Margo Commission.  Important evidence was either ignored, was mysteriously lost or completely glossed over.  A number of key witnesses were also not interviewed.  The TRC had grave misgivings about the original Margo Commission and in its report stated this it was clear that further investigation was necessary before the matter could be put to rest (article).

After the TRC a retired SAA employee was quoted as saying "we murdered the people aboard the Helderberg" (article).  He alleged that weapons, ammunition and explosives - billed as agricultural equipment - were transported on the London, Frankfurt, Taipei and Lisbon routes.

During May 2000 a previously inaudible portion of the cockpit voice recording between the pilot and his crew was deciphered by an ex-FBI agent using advanced technology available only in the United States.  The enhanced recording makes reference to ‘a bomb is aboard’ (article).  Unfortunately the Civil Aviation Authority have only referred to the enhanced tape as containing ‘noise’ (article).

After much pressure the TRC published the TRC proceedings and handed over all documentation to the Director of Public Prosecution, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Justice in May 2000.

Thereafter the government commissioned a special unit, the Scorpions, to investigate and submit a report to the Minister of Transport to establish whether the Helderberg enquiry should be re-opened.  The success and progress of the Scorpions has to date been a disgrace.  They have failed to interview key witnesses and any progress they have made can be attributed to the investigative reporting of the press and other people involved in the search for the truth.  The Minister of Transport is due to make a decision within June 2001 – but then again a decision was expected last year and we’re still waiting (article).

Whatever the Ministers decision the Helderberg tragedy will not be forgotten until those guilty have been identified and punished to the full extent of the law.

 http://www.helderberg-accident.com/

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