MTN Group CEO, Phuthuma Nhleko, is returning to SA to provide direction to the company as the cellular operator awaits news on the fate of its executives aboard the Kenya Airways flight that crashed in Cameroon this weekend.
Four MTN Cameroon staff members were on the flight, media representatives from MTN announced yesterday. They include CEO Campbell Utton; CFO Sarah Stewart and her husband, Adam James Stewart; company secretary Patrick Njamfa; and network engineer, Patrice Enam.
On Saturday, Kenya Airways released a statement that Flight KQ 507, carrying 114 people, departed from Douala, Cameroon, at 12:05am local time, but did not reach its destination of Nairobi, Kenya, at the expected time.
Last night, the airline revealed the wreckage of the Boeing 737-800 had been located on a mangrove swamp, approximately 20km south-east of Douala.
However, online news portal, IOL, this morning quoted a Kenya Airways official as saying there was "practically no chance" of finding any survivors.
Top management lost
According to the media statement, the four employees were travelling to SA on MTN business.
This morning, Department of Foreign Affairs' spokesman, Ronnie Mamoepa, said the department had received its last official update last night.
"We have been told there is no confirmation of survivors or casualties. Officials flew near to the crash site last night and walked to the wreckage. SA's ambassador to Cameroon, Dr S Ripinga, will go to the site himself," he said.
Meanwhile, Nhleko is on a flight back to SA from Iran where he was on a business trip. He was expected to land late this morning.
Pearl Majola, the group's external communications manager, said Nhleko would give the company direction as to what staffing movements should be made at its Cameroon operations. The company is still waiting for confirmation on the fate of its employees, she noted.
To support the rescue operation in Cameroon, MTN says it has provided communication equipment and transport facilities to the different rescue teams. Through one of its partners, MTN has also secured a fully-equipped air ambulance that will assist with emergency evacuation.
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