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Old 31st January 2016, 03:14 PM
Greg Hyde Greg Hyde is offline
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Default British anti-poaching pilot dies after being shot down in Tanzania by Poachers

British anti-poaching pilot dies after being shot down in Tanzania

A British pilot died in Tanzania after his helicopter was downed by elephant poachers, the charity he worked for has confirmed.
Roger Gower died on Friday and is thought to have been flying in the Maswa Game Reserve, located along the boundary of the Serengeti National Park.

"Roger was killed while piloting a helicopter during a coordinated effort with the Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down and arrest active elephant poachers," the chairman of the Friedkin Conservation Fund, Dan Friedkin, said in a statement.

"In the course of this action, the poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded."

The BBC quoted Pratik Patel of the Fund as saying Mr Gower had been approaching the last of three elephants which had been killed by poachers when the incident happened.

Only one shot is reported to have been fired, although it entered through the floor of the helicopter and through Mr Gower's leg and part of his shoulder.

Tanzania's former minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Lazaro Nyalandu, said Mr Gower managed to land the helicopter, but died before rescuers could reach him.

The UK's Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Gower had given up his job as an accountant in London to retrain as a pilot.

A Foreign Office spokesman in London said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Tanzania and are providing assistance to the family at this difficult time."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-3...nzania/7127950
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