It will take the army ages to groom another pilot like the late Naome Karungi, her bosses have said.
Karungi, the most senior female air force pilot, died in an airplane crash at the rank of Major on Tuesday, in Ndeese village, Bulo sub-country, Butambala District .
Maj. Karungi, who had served as a pilot since 2005, died with her cadet pilot identified as Benon Wokalu.
Witnesses claim the Bell 206B-3 Jet Ranger, serialised 3678 and registered as AF 302 by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) was moving in zig-zag motion before it crashed into Ndeese hill.
“We regret to inform that a UPDAF Jet Ranger on a training mission has crashed. It had two crew members. Sadly, no one has survived. Investigation into the cause has started. Condolences to their families and the entire UPDF fraternity,” the army spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire, said then.
On Thursday, tributes flowed in during a requiem service in her honour at the Church of the Resurrection, Bugolobi.
Brigadier General Charles Okidi, the Chief of Staff of the Uganda Peoples Defence Air Force, said the deceased had risen to level of doing test flights and recommend which aircraft needed repair. She was also allowed to fly VIPs.
“It will take us long to groom another brave female pilot like her,” Brig. Okidi said.
Brig Karemire said they were working out burial arrangements for the deceased.
“There is no clear programme as yet but we are in touch with the families of the deceased and from that, we shall come up with necessary arrangements,” he said.
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