Chris Phatswe
Encyclopedia
The 1999 Air Botswana incident occurred when Chris Phatswe, a Botswana
airline
pilot
, committed suicide
by crashing a plane into the tarmac
and a group of aircraft at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport
in Gaborone
. His actions effectively crippled operations for Air Botswana
.
ATR-42, registration number A2-ABB, from the Air Botswana section of the terminal at Sir Seretse Khama airport and took off. For two hours he circled the airport, radioing the control tower
and announcing his intention to commit suicide. The airport was evacuated as a precaution; passengers later reported a good deal of panic in the terminal. Officials in the tower expended a great deal of effort in an attempt to convince him to land; efforts were led by General
Tebogo Masire
, then deputy commander of the Botswana Defense Force.
As the craft began to run out of fuel, Phatswe threatened to crash it into an office building belonging to Air Botswana; he said that he wished to settle a grudge with the airline's management. He demanded to speak to Ian Khama
, Botswana's vice-president, and was about to be put through to him when the plane ran out of fuel. His demands were never made clear. Later reports suggested that he had also threatened to crash the plane into the residence of President Festus Mogae
.
Officials in the control tower told Phatswe that there were people in the Air Botswana building, whereupon he crashed the stolen plane into two other ATR-42s sitting on the tarmac. All three planes were destroyed in a fiery crash, and Phatswe was killed. He was the only casualty.
The three planes were the only operational craft then in the Air Botswana fleet; a fourth plane, a BAe-146, was grounded with technical trouble at the time. Consequently, Phatswe's actions effectively crippled operations for the flag carrier
.
two months previously and been declared unfit to fly; consequently, he was not authorized to take the plane. Airport security was reported to be lax, and it was said to be quite easy for somebody to steal an aircraft.
It was later revealed that Phatswe had AIDS
, although what part this may have played in his actions is not known. Prior to his medical suspension, he had been coordinating safety operations for the airline.
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by crashing a plane into the tarmac
Tarmac
Tarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
and a group of aircraft at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport
Sir Seretse Khama International Airport
Sir Seretse Khama International Airport located north of Gaborone is the main international airport of the capital city of Botswana. The airport is named for Sir Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana...
in Gaborone
Gaborone
' is the capital and largest city of Botswana with a population of 191,776 based on a 2006 survey, about 10% of the total population of Botswana....
. His actions effectively crippled operations for Air Botswana
Air Botswana
Air Botswana Corporation is the national airline of Botswana, with its head office on the grounds of Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone...
.
Death
On 11 October 1999, Phatswe commandeered an AérospatialeAérospatiale
Aérospatiale was a French aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société Nationale Industrielle Aérospatiale...
ATR-42, registration number A2-ABB, from the Air Botswana section of the terminal at Sir Seretse Khama airport and took off. For two hours he circled the airport, radioing the control tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
and announcing his intention to commit suicide. The airport was evacuated as a precaution; passengers later reported a good deal of panic in the terminal. Officials in the tower expended a great deal of effort in an attempt to convince him to land; efforts were led by General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Tebogo Masire
Tebogo Masire
Tebogo Masire is the former deputy commanderand current commander of the Botswana Defence Force . He assumed the post on November 1, 2006, succeeding Lt. Gen. Louis Matshwenyego Fisher....
, then deputy commander of the Botswana Defense Force.
As the craft began to run out of fuel, Phatswe threatened to crash it into an office building belonging to Air Botswana; he said that he wished to settle a grudge with the airline's management. He demanded to speak to Ian Khama
Ian Khama
Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama is a Botswana politician who has been the President of Botswana since 2008; he is also the Paramount Chief of the Bamangwato tribe...
, Botswana's vice-president, and was about to be put through to him when the plane ran out of fuel. His demands were never made clear. Later reports suggested that he had also threatened to crash the plane into the residence of President Festus Mogae
Festus Mogae
Festus Gontebanye Mogae is a Botswana politician who was President of Botswana from 1998 to 2008. He succeeded Quett Masire as President in 1998 and was reelected in October 2004; after ten years in office, he stepped down in 2008 and was succeeded by Lieutenant General Ian Khama...
.
Officials in the control tower told Phatswe that there were people in the Air Botswana building, whereupon he crashed the stolen plane into two other ATR-42s sitting on the tarmac. All three planes were destroyed in a fiery crash, and Phatswe was killed. He was the only casualty.
The three planes were the only operational craft then in the Air Botswana fleet; a fourth plane, a BAe-146, was grounded with technical trouble at the time. Consequently, Phatswe's actions effectively crippled operations for the flag carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
.
Motives
Phatswe had repeatedly threatened airport authorities, telling them that he would kill himself, but never gave a reason. At the time of the incident he was on medical leave from the airline, having failed a physicalPhysical examination
Physical examination or clinical examination is the process by which a doctor investigates the body of a patient for signs of disease. It generally follows the taking of the medical history — an account of the symptoms as experienced by the patient...
two months previously and been declared unfit to fly; consequently, he was not authorized to take the plane. Airport security was reported to be lax, and it was said to be quite easy for somebody to steal an aircraft.
It was later revealed that Phatswe had AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, although what part this may have played in his actions is not known. Prior to his medical suspension, he had been coordinating safety operations for the airline.