The body of President Samora Machel of Mozambique being taken away from the crash site in a coffin in 1986.
The South African search and rescue team arrived on the scene with a coffin specifically for Machel and many body bags
They put Samora’s body in the air tight body bag , placed it in the coffin, then carried it away.
Later on, a South African doctor opened the coffin and the body bag for a Mozambican delegation led by Sérgio Vieira to identify Machel’s body.
According to Vieira, “the bag was opened head downwards, but my first strong feeling that l was looking at the body of Samora Machel came when l saw his right arm resting on his abdomen.”
South Africa’s foreign minister at the time, Pik Botha who was one of the first VIPs to arrive at the crash site described the day as the worst in his life.
“The scene was absolutely shocking,” Mr Botha recalled. “Parts of the aircraft and bodies were strewn everywhere.”
“I asked to be shown the body of the person whom the police thought might be the Mozambican president.
“They opened a bag. The zip made a terrible noise. I had known Samora Machel very well. I immediately recognised his face, even though his head was severely damaged”
Then followed the tiresome 2 hour process of identifying the other victims of the crash.
The most narrated version of the events that led to the crash came from South Africa, which was being accused of having a hand in the crash.
Luckily one of Samora Machel’s bodyguards survived the crash with very minor injuries and was able to narrate his version.
It was alleged that South Africa installed false beacons which misguided Machel’s plane. The plane was travelling from Zambia to Mozambique but crashed in South Africa.
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