VZCZCXRO4407
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHFN #0355/01 1551326
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041326Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1121
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000355 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: ASEC ATRN EAIR CASC SL
SUBJECT: PARAMOUNT HELICOPTER CRASHES KILLING TOGOLESE MINISTER 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. On the evening of June 3, a helicopter operated by Paramount 
Airlines crashed while attempting to land at Lungi International 
Airport killing a reported 21 people, including Togo's Minister of 
Sport. News reports state most victims were members of a Togolese 
delegation attending a soccer match between Sierra Leone and Togo. 
There has been no official response from the Sierra Leone Civil 
Aviation Authority in the Ministry of Transportation and 
Communications. Initial reports state there were no American 
citizens aboard. Post is reviewing travel options to Lungi Airport 
as a contingency if all helicopter services are grounded. Post will 
issue a warden message if there are changes to Post's travel policy 
based on safety considerations. END SUMMARY. 
 
TOGOLESE MINISTER KILLED IN CRASH 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. At approximately 2030 hrs on June 3, an Mi-8 helicopter operated 
by Paramount Airlines crashed while attempting to land at Lungi 
International Airport. Witnesses say the helicopter was on approach 
to the airport when sparks were seen coming from the engine. The 
engine then caught fire, and the helicopter crashed. News reports 
state all 21 passengers were killed. There were reportedly no 
American citizens aboard the flight. Among those killed included 
Togolese Minister of Sports Atipe Kwako. Two Paramount crew members 
were killed but the co-pilot reportedly survived by leaping from the 
aircraft as it crashed. He is in critical condition. The flight had 
been chartered to shuttle members of a Togolese delegation attending 
a soccer match between Sierra Leone and Togo from Freetown over the 
harbor to the airport. 
 
¶3. Sources state there will be no interruption in flight operations 
at Lungi International Airport in the foreseeable future. The 
British have encouraged the GOSL to convene a meeting on June 6 to 
discuss air emergency procedures. Post will also inquire about the 
procedures for a crash investigation. 
 
PARAMOUNT WAS PREVIOUSLY GROUNDED FOR NEAR MISSES 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶4. This crash follows two incidents in January involving Paramount 
helicopters that led to the GOSL grounding Paramount from mid 
January to March 1. During the first incident at Lungi International 
Airport on January 4, one of Paramount's helicopters had an engine 
fire and the second incident on January 12 involved an aborted 
take-off after two unsuccessful lift-off attempts at the Aberdeen 
helipad in Freetown. The GOSL grounded Paramount as a result of 
increased concern about the safety of helicopter operations and 
Paramount's failure to meet required safety standards. (NOTE: During 
both incidents, there were no reported injuries, and no American 
Embassy personnel were aboard. END NOTE.) 
 
¶5. Paramount Airlines operates a fleet of three Russian-built Mi-8 
transport helicopters, two of which had been operational. The 
helicopters are flown by Russian and Ukrainian pilots. Paramount 
also operates fixed-wing planes that are registered in Conakry, 
Guinea. Paramount has flown for over ten years in Sierra Leone 
shuttling passengers over the harbor between Freetown and the Lungi 
International Airport charging USD 50 for the approximately 
eight-minute flight. Paramount's personnel and equipment have been 
decimated by this crash and a recent car crash that claimed the 
lives of three Paramount staff. 
 
POST TO INVESTIGATE REOPENING OFFICE IN LUNGI 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. Post will weigh establishing an office at Lungi Airport to 
facilitate shuttling Embassy staff and official USG visitors between 
the airport and Freetown. However, providing this additional service 
will add considerable strain to the Embassy's limited resources. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7. Helicopters are one of the few reasonably reliable options 
available for transport to Lungi Airport. This crash raises similar 
safety concerns about the remaining helicopter service, UTAir, which 
began service in March. It is unknown whether the GOSL will ground 
all helicopter services. If UTAir is grounded, the remaining options 
for transport to Lungi are either a 4-6 hour car ride over 
unimproved roads or transport by ferry, which is equally unsafe. The 
hovercraft remains out of operation, but may resume soon. A new 
German helicopter service, Helog, is about to launch an airport 
shuttle using a Puma AS 330J and an Mi-17. Both the ferry and car 
ride are problematic and will add considerable time to travel 
schedules. The ferry, typically a 45-minute crossing, can take up to 
four hours due to an unreliable and erratic schedule, frequent 
mechanical failures, and overloading. The ferry terminal is also 
situated in the eastern part of Freetown that often experiences 
 
FREETOWN 00000355  002 OF 002 
 
 
serious traffic congestion. END COMMENT 
 
HULL