A Mil Mi-17 ‘Hip’ helicopter belonging to the Mozambican armed forces have been lost following intense fighting around Afungi in Cabo Delgado province.
The Mi-17 Hip helicopter was used to transport troops battling Islamic insurgents attacks against Mozambican government forces in an attack in Palma district, near the installations of the multimillion-dollar Afungi gas exploration site, on Wednesday 23 June.
And according to AFP, the Mozambican Air Force Mi-8 (Mi-17) helicopter trying to deploy troops from the base in Patacua – about five kilometres from Afungi – developed technical problems and made an emergency landing.
Mozambique operates several Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters but most of them are unserviceable. Although, earlier this year Mozambique received several upgraded Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopters through Paramount.
Paramount Group, as part of a rearming initiative for the Mozambican Government also supplied at least six ex-British SA-341B Gazelles from Stapleford.
The Gazelles were acquired from former British Army stock in an auction.
Other aircraft in Mozambique inventory includes UH-1 Huey, Bell Long Ranger, Alouette III, Jet Ranger, Mil Mi-8, Mi-17 and Gazelle helicopters, Cessna Caravan, Diamond DA 42.
The airpower is operated and flown by Dyck Advisory Group (DAG) a South African companies.
In September 2019, Russia delivered an Mil Mi-17 helicopter to the Mozambican Air Force. An Antonov An-124-100 transport aircraft from the 224th Flight Unit of the Russian Air Force offloaded the helicopter and other military hardwares at the Nacala airport in northern Mozambique.
Last year in April, a Gazelle flown by Dyck Advisory Group was shot down by insurgents. Also in June, a Bat Hawk microlight scout aircraft crashed in an accident in the vicinity of the village of Muidumba. The pilot was seriously injured, but survived and was evacuated to South Africa.