The Government has engaged New Zealand-based Air Accident Investigator Andrew McGregor as the independent investigator to determine the cause of the crash of Training Cessna 172 aircraft.

Acting Prime Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum this afternoon announced McGregor will arrive in the country tomorrow morning and will immediately be transported to the crash site to begin the investigation into the cause of the crash.

Sayed-Khaiyum says he will then report regularly to the Department of Civil Aviation on his findings.

“Mr McGregor specializes in providing air accident investigation services and forensic engineering. In Fiji, he was most recently engaged by the Fijian Department of Civil Aviation to investigate the crash of a Cessna 172 plane that crashed in the mountains North East of Nadi in 2007. He also led the investigation into the helicopter crash off the coast of Nadi in 2006.”

Sayed-Khaiyum says McGregor will update the public on the findings of the investigation as they arise.

However, he says Fijians much anticipate it will take some time to determine exactly what happened.

McGregor has been engaged in the past by the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission to assist with several air accident investigations.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the thoughts and prayers of every Fijian are with the families of the missing flight instructor and student pilot.