President Cyril Ramaphosa’s mission to facilitate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine faced a significant setback as his advance security team encountered aviation regulations and bureaucratic hurdles, leaving them stranded on their plane in Poland. While President Ramaphosa engaged in diplomatic discussions with Polish President Andrzej Duda, his security detail and a media contingent found themselves stuck at Warsaw Chopin Airport.
The peace initiative, dubbed the “road to peace,” has been plagued by various challenges, including technical issues, red tape, and extreme logistical problems even before the flight departed from South Africa. Journalists accompanying the mission, who were accompanied by specialized police officers and military personnel, were not allowed to disembark in Poland.
The flight, carrying over 120 individuals, departed from South Africa around 1:30 am on Thursday but encountered problems two hours before reaching Warsaw. After failing to secure clearance to fly over Italian airspace, the flight was diverted and circled the Mediterranean waters approximately six times before continuing on its route to Warsaw. Eventually landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport at 1:18 pm, the Presidency tweeted the arrival of President Ramaphosa for his working visit to Poland and Ukraine.
#RoadToPeace Rhoode: She was strip searched despite having a diplomatic passport. They wanted to confiscate our fire arms. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/bt7vf0wuve
— #LordOfTheMedia (@samkelemaseko) June 15, 2023However, the journalists on board were informed that there were “issues” with the aircraft scheduled to transport them to Rzezouw, as the chartered flight had not arrived. After an hour of waiting, they were notified that President Ramaphosa had departed in his jet, named Nkwazi, to Rzesouw en route to Kyiv, Ukraine.
Meanwhile, members of the special forces remained on the plane as President Ramaphosa began his journey to Kyiv. It remained unclear at this stage whether his counterparts from Egypt, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, and Congo Brazzaville had arrived.
During the prolonged wait, cargo was offloaded while the media and special forces contingents sought clearance. Ramaphosa’s security personnel eventually disembarked, and the embassy was enlisted to assist in resolving the situation.
After four hours of waiting, the pilot and crew gathered at the back of the plane, engaging in a discussion about the matter. Following the meeting, the pilot addressed the passengers, acknowledging the challenges faced and expressing pride in his crew. The pilot explained that due to the ongoing challenges, the crew had decided to remain on the plane with the passengers to ensure the pilots received the required minimum rest time as mandated by aviation regulations. Once the rest period was completed, they would resume the mission and make necessary arrangements to proceed.
[JUST-IN] General Whally Rhoode the head of Presidential Protection unit says the South African government is being sabotaged by the polish government on the #RoadToPeace Mission between Russia and Ukraine. “They want to put the security of our President at risk” #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/YKK0bXW3op
— #LordOfTheMedia (@samkelemaseko) June 15, 2023The pilot also mentioned that the crew would arrange for the aircraft to be cleaned during this time. It was understood that the minimum required rest for pilots amounted to approximately 10 hours.
Sources revealed that the pilot was deemed responsible for the logistical nightmare, as the original plan was to head directly to Rzesouw but was diverted to Warsaw instead.
Tensions arose among the South African Airways (SAA) crew members, as some desired rest in compliance with aviation rules. The special forces faced the predicament of how to reach Kyiv in time to provide support and protect the president.
African Heads of State and Government that are participating in the African Leaders Peace Mission holding a consultation while en route to Kiev by train.#AfricanPeaceMission#BetterAfricaBetterWorld pic.twitter.com/5wZOwkpm1v
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) June 15, 2023One possible option discussed was procuring a Ukrainian plane, UR-CBG, parked at the Polish airport to fly the team to the Ukrainian border, followed by a bus journey to Kyiv.
By 6 pm, President Ramaphosa had safely reached Kyiv, leaving his special forces members stranded on the tarmac.
This remains a developing story, with updates to follow.
