Friends celebrate after missing pilot is found

Pilot friends of Charles Wooler, who went missing in Botswana's Kalahari Desert after his light aircraft had gone off course, celebrated news of him being found yesterday.

Chris Martinus, who had been flying ahead of Wooler between Keetmanshoop in Namibia, and Upington, said six of Wooler's friends from Krugersdorp Flying Club had come to Upington to join the search. "We are very, very relieved," said Martinus.

Maggie, Wooler's wife, said she was very pleased that he had been found but would not comment further. "Charles is a very private person. He would not like me to comment."

Wooler found in the desert
Wooler was found "somewhere around" the isolated settlement of Khawa, north west of Middlepits, in the Kalahari Desert, at 16:10 yesterday.

It was understood that he was spotted from the air and ran to a road on hearing the sound of the Botswana Defence Force's only helicopter, which was searching for him. There he came across the crew of ground searchers, who included Botswana police, wildlife and medical personnel, said Olefile Moakofi, the Botswana Civil Aviation director.

He had since been taken to the Tsabong Hospital "for checks".

Wooler went missing in a two-seater Diamond Katana on Sunday.

Source: www.sabcnews.com