South African airline defends low-altitude aerial stunt over packed stadium
Airlink says the manoeuvre with two planes in close formation involved careful and precise planning.
A South African airline is defending a recent low-altitude aerial stunt involving two of its planes flying in close formation, reportedly mere feet above a packed stadium, following a wave of criticism.
The jets executed the dramatic flyover at Cape Town's DHL stadium, accompanied by flares, just before a rugby match between fierce rivals South Africa and New Zealand. While some observers condemned the maneuver as reckless, others lauded the exceptional precision and expertise demonstrated.
Airlink, the airline responsible, stated that the stunt was meticulously planned and executed with the full backing of aviation authorities. The two aircraft, one green and one black, passed over the stadium shortly before the South Africa-New Zealand game.
On social media, Airlink's message was concise: "Planning. Precision. Performance." A more detailed statement, published on a government news site, elaborated: "The two aircraft were flown by highly experienced crew, with each comprised of three senior captains operating in the roles of commander, co-pilot and safety/technical officer." The airline further confirmed that the flights adhered to "approved and rehearsed safety altitude and speed limits for the flypast."
Despite concerns raised by flight tracking website Flightradar24 and others regarding the inherent risks of two planes over a crowded stadium, many South Africans have expressed national pride in their pilots' ability to execute such a complex maneuver.
Low-altitude flybys have become a recurring element in the pre-match festivities of significant sporting events in South Africa. A particularly memorable instance involved a South African Airways jet flying over a Johannesburg stadium before the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, where South Africa triumphed over New Zealand. That match, famously depicted in the Hollywood film *Invictus*, held immense symbolic weight as Nelson Mandela, the nation's first black president, wore the jersey of a national team previously linked to the apartheid government and its exclusion of non-white players.
In related news, South Africa recently held off an All Blacks comeback to level a series. Separately, a beauty queen is facing deportation despite asserting, "I was born in South Africa." Additionally, a former "street kid" has become a key figure in South Africa's police corruption inquiry.