Johannesburg: The South African military says five air force members have died in the crash of a helicopter that was patrolling as part of an anti-rhino poaching operation.
The military said in a statement that the crash happened yesterday evening in South Africa`s Kruger National Park. It says the crew was among those killed. The statement says the helicopter was on a scheduled patrol of the park and that an investigation is under way to determine the cause of the crash.
South Africa is struggling to stem rampant poaching of rhinos, whose horns are sold to buyers in Asia.
Rhino horn is made of keratin, a tough protein found in human fingernails. There`s a belief in Asia that ingesting ground-up horn cures diseases. However, no medical evidence supports that.
PTI