Mark Sampason, one of the South African pilots who took part in the first Kenyan Defense Force Museum Airshow is dead.
Sampason who was among pilots of Marksmen Aerobatic Team died in a flying incident on Tuesday, May 31 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The accident occured when the team was on a return leg roundabout trip from Cape Town to Nairobi where they had performed a successful aerobatic formation display.
A statement from the Marksmen Aerobatic Team noted that they were devastated by the demise of Sampason and were working with the Zimbabwean authorities.
“It is with great sadness and a profound sense of loss that today, the Marksmen aerobatic team can confirm that Mark Sampson, outstanding aviator, honoured team member, trusted number-4 and loyal friend, perished in a flying incident in Harare, Zimbabwe,” part of the statement read.
The airshow took place at Wilson Airport in Nairobi on May 28 in conjunction with the Aero Club of East Africa.
This was the first ever show where the military and civilian air operators came together to treat the Kenyans to mind blowing displays.
Moreover, Marksmen Aerobatic Team issued a statement after the show, saying they had a great weekend in Kenya displaying at Wilson airport.
“We were treated to exceptional Kenyan hospitality. The Museum Airshow Festival was held at the Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi and we were fortunate to display with the highly skilled aviators from the Kenyan Airforce (KAF) as well as a number of other commercial operators including Kenya Airways.”
